Does something seem out of place to anyone else?  My son has decided his bed is entirely overrated and has become a master at finding odd places to sleep at night while no one is looking.  ;)  I usually discover these scenarios around 10:30 when I haven’t been paying much attention to anything other than my computer screen, the laundry or a book.He’s still just 2, but he’s got mad sneaking skills, balancing skills and zipping skills to go along with his adorableness.  He cracks me up!  He’d zipped himself in and was discovered only after he rolled over and pushed his little foot up against the wall; at least I’m getting a good laugh at the end of each day.  =)

Motherhood has to be the most hilarious job in the world!  =)

I’ve been a little MIA for a variety of reasons lately – one, we are on vacation.  Well, my hubby is on vacation so that means I am on vacation and am required to keep the schedule to a minimum for camping and mountain adventures.  =)  And you know what?  Even though I wasn’t so sure I wanted or needed a break mid-summer, it has been entirely refreshing and incredible to have some downtime.  My mind works overtime constantly and so to take a step back requires a great deal of effort.  But it was perfect and I need to do it more often!!!

The hubby is heading back soon and I have two shoots over the weekend, which I’m really excited for.  But until then, it’s movies, sunshine, errands and getting acquainted with my new computer.  ;)  I’m officially a Mac girl….and am still adjusting.  =)

But onto what else I indulged in over the past month.   (My taste buds are always tempted by the adorable bits and pieces of babies – these piggies were no exception!)  =)  I think little ones are by far my favorite subject for obvious reasons…I attended a retreat with the lovely Barb Uil of Jinky Art, and truly, it was an experience of a lifetime.  I believe in bettering yourself, no matter what stage of the game you are at, and this was truly inspiring for me.  I’m ready to take my business to new heights, new ventures, new looks and in new directions.

A huge, HUGE thank you to Barb, who is such a kind, generous and incredibly talented woman; I feel blessed to have met her and her sweet family.  I loved every minute of it!!!  Here are a few images from a few of our many shoots – I haven’t had time to process everything we took, but this will give you a small sampling.

Another huge, HUGE thank you to Teresa, our lovely host and owner of the beautiful Meadowbrook Farm.  It was not only a gorgeous location to shoot at, but SHE was amazing.  We got to chat more on our last night there, and honestly, she’s one of the people that stick out most in my mind.  She exudes all kinds of loveliness and is one of those genuinely adorable people.   =)

I’ll be back with sessions from this coming weekend!  (or maybe a few of my own babies before then…)

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So you know what?  For whatever reason, I have become a sentimental sap lately!  Seriously.  I have pretty much taken the month of July to devote to my family, as my hubby scheduled his vacations this month (and so I did not schedule much at all) and I was determined to take a step back, evaluate my business, take in my summer and spend time with my children.  And that I’ve done.  But I must tell you about this little man…(disclaimer: I took this yesterday, but he has since had a haircut.  )

He is my heart….one thousand and one times over.  I am so smitten with this little person that it’s actually hard for me to even write about it because there are no words to describe the way I feel.  Jack.  He is sugar on a lemony-kind-of-day.  He is my smile on a chaotic morning and my blessing on a day where life just doesn’t feel quite right.  This child is pure bliss.  He’s funny (have I mentioned he’s funny?!?), he’s kind, he’s brilliant, he’s precious in every way, and best of all, he’s MINE.  =)

I often think of him as an old man in a tiny body – the kind of little one who wants to take care of me, love on me, consider me, truly….I think the kid is in love with me.  And guess what?  I’m perfectly fine with that.  I adore it.

I went to pull him out of his car seat at Kmart tonight, and he randomly said, “Mama, I LOVE you.  And I love your beautiful eyes.”  I’m not kidding.  He’s two.  And these are the kind of loves I receive all day every day.

Could I get any luckier?!?    I think not.

Don’t worry, if you’ve read this far, you receive an award.    I’m all done.  And now I will go tuck him into bed.  =)

More up soon from the amazing retreat I just attended – lots of fun posts coming your way!

Sisters are one of the greatest things God ever invented.  Truly, you have uncontrolled access to another closet full of stylish clothing (case in point: she actually wore my clothes for this shoot, haha), a collection of makeup that seems to work just right with your complexion and back in the day, a variety of male friends to choose from.  Seriously though, they are a friend to rely on when others let you down, a believer in your dreams and someone to grow old with.  I am blessed enough to have two of them, both of which have become even more invaluable to me as time passes and we acquire more lines and wrinkles and the battle wounds of motherhood.  I adore them both for different reasons and at the risk of sounding entirely sappy and overly sugary, I am so grateful to have them in my life and to call them my best friends.  At the end of the day, family is all that matters.

My oldest sister was here last week and we squeezed in a quick family session the night before they left.  We didn’t get much light to work with, but when it was all said and done, I do think we captured some sweet memories.  My other sis will be up next!

Here is where the cuteness begins…Yup, they’re darn cute together…but we’ll come back to them later.  Onto their sweet family of four…and their adorable littles…the kissing pictures were cracking me up….because that’s when my brother-in-law actually enjoyed the shoot.  =)  And so, I decided to photograph quite a few of them together…And one last one of the little miss that I took on her 10th birthday…To my sister: I hope you love these.  I miss you so very much and can’t wait to see you again!  To my other sister:  I love you more than words can describe and am so grateful to have you just a few minutes from me – you are next girl.  Here’s to many more years of sharing clothes, sharing secrets and sharing sisterhood.

xoxo

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It is so hard to imagine that my sweet, sweet baby girl is 5 years old today!  Truly, I still remember those first contractions that hinted at labor the morning of her birth, and then welcoming her with my husband that night at 9:30pm.  There were so many things about that day that didn’t quite go as planned and had us all on pins and needles, but the thing I remember most is just. how. beautiful. she was.  Oh my word, truly, I assumed I would consider my child beautiful, but God had not prepared me for just how much my heart would swell that day.  I fell in love with her instantaneously and my heart has never been the same.

I had no idea that a mother could love like this.  Forever.  No matter what.  You just LOVE without ceasing and somehow that is very fulfilling and oh-so-rewarding.

Sophia Grace entered our world 5 years ago today in a tiny little bundle that weighed 6 lbs. 13 oz.  Tiny and perfect.

My girl just 24-hours old

in 2005:

And 5 years later:

(more images below…keep scrolling…;))

And yes, I still think she’s the most beautiful thing in the universe (I’m sure I might be a tiny bit biased).  She is kind-hearted, spirited, smart, energetic, independent, loving, affectionate, playful, brave, strong-willed, caring and nurturing all at the same time.  She is my fireball all mixed up in this delicate little package that exudes confidence and joy.  Everything in her world is exciting and completely deserving of drama and bouncing-up-and-down excitement; she certainly gets the most out of life.

We had her party with our family on Sunday, all of which was planned and decorated by her.    Did I mention she was independent?  Oh yes, the entire event was polka-dots…there were polka dots on the cake, plastered all over the walls, polka dotted candles and polka dots on her dress.  It was a styled affair.    Then yesterday I took her out for some photographs…of course…and then we hit the pool.  And today is finally her ACTUAL birthday (she wasn’t sure she should have her party before she was officially 5…this brought on many tears until I could convince her otherwise) and when I asked her where she’d like to have dinner, she said McDonald’s was her pick.    Ha!  She always cracks me up. But back to the images from yesterday…

I will admit, she does not like having mommy “officially” take her pictures.  She has problems with her eyes and “bright” light, and gets lots of nervous energy flowing through that tiny body.  That’s why mostly everything I do is entirely candid with my family, and rightly so.  Who wants a million “posed” pictures of their children anyway?  But once in a while, I love to document in style.    And this was her attitude when we got started:Have I mentioned she is FIVE??  =)

But, she recovered and we moved on to better things…I couldn’t ignore my other adored little peanut who was just patiently sitting in the stroller…who then asked if I would take his picture too.  =)  Umm, sure Love.no problem.  Because you are the other most beautiful thing in my world.  and we finished the shoot with a long afternoon at the pool:HAPPY BIRTHDAY my sweet baby girl.  You are 5.  Finally.

xoxo

Tonight my little people and I soaked up the long-awaited sunshine – it wasn’t really warm until around 7, and once we got out there I seriously just wanted to curl up and go to sleep.

But, that’s entirely impossible with these little peanuts as they let their imaginations run wild.  They proceeded to fill up the trunks on their trikes with various rocks of all sizes, then come and bring me “ice cream” while I tried to relax on the lawn chair.  Within a short amount of time, my belly and chest were covered with rocks and I was laughing so hard they were falling off.  That’s when Sophia asked me to kindly not breath so they would stay on.  Sure, hon. 

And then the sun began to light them up, and, well you know I couldn’t lie there long without reaching for my camera to preserve one more everyday moment with my babes.  And I am also happy to report that my breakup with my 50 1.2 has officially ended.  We are in love again.  I finally figured out his little quirk. 

And my little man hasn’t graced my blog as much lately for some reason…and not for lack of love!!!  This kid is seriously FUNNY.  He makes everyone laugh and is notorious for his hilarious facial expressions.  He is super animated and when he tells stories (which goes on all day long now started each time with, “This ONE time…(at band camp…)”…makes me giggle every time.  I love him to pieces.and this last one cracks me up…I think he’d just dumped his pile of rocks on accident…;)Anyway, I hope you are enjoying the sunshine as much as we are!  It has been raining a lot here, which I really enjoy too, but there’s nothing like a warm blaze of sunshine to lift your spirits.  I just finished my first week on a running plan (mind you, I am so NOT a runner) but I will admit there is something so soothing and refreshing about running in the rain.  I’m hoping for some rain tomorrow morning too! 

Thank you to everyone who sent your well wishes and thoughts over the past week.  Two days after my last post, Sophia was admitted to the hospital for dehydration due to Rotavirus.  And may I just say, that is the nastiest virus EVER!  Sheesh.  Luckily, we were just there 2 days letting the IV do its job while the virus ran its course – it was a long couple of days and nights!

However, we are home.  Happy.  Hydrated.  Playing.  And LOVING this gorgeous weather!!  I shot this a few minutes ago because the blooms on the trees are just too pretty to miss.

I also wanted to mention that the website for Legacy Pregnancy Center is now live, and you can check it out here:

www.legacypregnancy.org

I was excited to help this organization in any way possible and had a lot of fun working on the donor side of the website.  Stop by and if you are able, support this organization!!  =)

On a side note, I have obviously had to reschedule and postpone several sessions recently, so stay tuned for a slew of posts…from newborns and families to boudoir, there will be something for everyone!  Thanks for stopping by!

I will admit, this has not been the best week/month.  There has been croup for kids, croup for adults, ear infections, antibiotics, busyness, tears, you name it.  I seem to have caught the tail end of everyone’s germs, complete with adult croup and a miserable cough that has been agonizing to say the least.  Ah well, it’s just a cough.  But I miss my friend.  And I miss my husband.  And I miss my sleep.  And the kids have been naughty.  And well, it’s just been one of those weeks.

And so, tonight, I decided to photograph what an evening here looks like when I saw that beautiful light pouring in this evening.  I realize some of you who are reading are health nuts and such, but well, our after-dinner evenings are usually all about the cookies…or the Dilly Bars…or the chocolate.  Vanilla Wafers were on the menu for tonight, and I really couldn’t care less how many they consumed.  I just enjoyed watching them tease each other and immerse themselves (entirely unaware) in this beautiful light that was streaming through our kitchen window.  And I fell in love.   With them, the light, the laughter.  The momentary loss of sibling rivalry, arguing, time outs and tears.  It was a moment of pure pleasure, pure happiness and pure bliss on my part.   A moment I forever want to remember.And then I put them in the tub expecting a lovely ending to a lovely day.  And Sophia began to complain about her tummy, and well, I just wrote it off as the usual: drama.  But after a bit, I sat on the stairs holding her and stroking her hair, when…..the vomiting began…all over the carpet.

And so, it appears we have now moved onto the flu.  And I am somehow not even surprised.   But oh Lord, please make it quick.  I can only take so much. 

A very talented lady contacted me a month or so ago, wondering if I’d want to photograph her handmade hats and dresses for sale through her adorable business:

Noggin Knots

Ummm, yes please!  And so she stopped by last week with a pile of beautifully crocheted hats and handmade pillow-case dresses in the most darling fabrics to adorn some beautiful girlies.  So fun.

And although I rarely have my children “pose” for pictures – that’s just not me – Sophie and I did take advantage of the day we had our blizzard and decided these would fit the bill.  She’s so NOT into modeling, (although she wanted to help me out with this one, sweet thing) you would laugh if you knew the measures her daddy was going to in the background and how ridiculous we were as she fidgeted away, begging to be finished.  hehe. 

Anyway, I am working to build a portfolio for Marcie, with Noggin Knots, and thought I’d have a little fun with it…I’m looking for a 2-3 girlies, aside from my own, to be the cover girls!

Here is what I need:

(ages are approximate as the dresses are made to fit loosely)

Baby Girls size: 12 months ::: 18 months ::: 24 months

To be eligible, you must leave a comment here with interest letting me know what size your little one is, and be willing to sign a model release allowing the images to be used on her website and mine.

All entries are due by May 24th (2 weeks from now!) and 2-3 winners will be drawn randomly from each size category.  No pictures necessary – this is for fun!

Free session, no min. purchase.  You may buy prints at 20% off if you choose once the proofs are released.  All sessions are “mini” in size, meaning 15 min. or so.Are they yummy or what?!!

STAY TUNED FOR SOME SWEET GIVEAWAYS COMING SOON HERE ON THE BLOG!!!Looking forward to hearing from you!  And don’t forget to check out all her cute things – go buy something and treat the little girlie in your life!!

Happy Mother’s Day to all you amazing mamas out there!!!

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My last week has been craziness, starting off with a cold for me that trickled on down to my kiddos.  Sophia then had a severe case of croup the night before last, and so off we went to the ER in the middle of the night after attempting to ease her breathing with other methods.  You get to a point where the waiting is more stressful than just putting your baby in the car and driving, and it was one of those moments.  I was seriously starting to panic on the way there, wondering if I’d be pulling over to perform CPR rather than making our way to the hospital.  I just kept asking her if she was still breathing and she couldn’t even talk, just shook her head with big, big eyes.  Poor baby.  I *flew* most of the way to the hospital from our house just outside of town, and once she got both the inhaled and oral steroids to reduce the swelling in her throat, things calmed down right away.  I was so relieved.  It worked miracles and we were able to leave within a few hours.  And so I am exhausted with both kids getting up repeatedly, not to mention a miserable head cold that is causing headaches and incessant sneezing up until today.  =)  haha.  Laugh, it’s okay.  I really did look quite special after a few days with no shower and no sleep.

BUT, today the sun seemed to shine a little brighter and this afternoon the kids discovered a mound of dirt just behind our house.  And they dug with their gardening tools for HOURS.  I snapped away, but just wanted to share one quick one of my sweet girl with dirt all over her sweet face (although this one looks like it was from the beginning…by the end, they were completely covered!)  =).

I LOVE YOU KID!  =)