Wednesday, April 28, 2010

my first love returns

well.. sorta. those of you that have been following my blog, know that I have been an obsessed scrapper for a long time. A friend got me started prior to my wedding and after Brig was born.. it became a full blown addiction.... I can. NOT. believe how much stuff I own. I am getting pretty depressed as I look at my scrap room and see the piles of dust adorning the papers and the many, many embellies, just waiting patiently to be played with.
Don't even get me started on the gazillion of folders of pictures I have that have not found their home on a layout.. this lack of creativity in paper form is really messing with my psyche... and soooo I have challenged myself and I do have accountability people in my life to hopefully steer me back on track!! I have been working here and there on getting some pages done. I actually put a bunch of ones I have already shown her on the ol' blog INTO protectors and in to the albums purchased and still sitting in the Hobby Lobby bags. So the above page is one for Brig's album.. about the trips to our favorite stores... and the one below is T's first experience with fireworks.
and then I realized that Brig has 3 books, and T has one and a half and yet poor Beckham doesn't have one yet.. and so I switched gears.
Here is one for little B-


and another.. (and of course I still have not done US pages for any kids.. so I have to go back and do them.. and write up their birth stories.. before my brain goes to mush)


I need to do about 4-5 of his first 2 months.. this is one



and then I skipped to 4 months old













Don't mind the black spot .. something on my camera .. so it got a specialty bath. all better now!








I still have a ways to go, but at least he has a few pages.. I haven't done any of his *month* pages yet... or written about his milestones and a few other things I have jotted down. At least I am keeping up with his baby book.. lol-



Did one of these about a favorite outfit of Brig's that he wore last fall... what a handsome dude!


and another about them sharing outfits.. and looking so much alike.




I made a list of the *must have* pages for the kids.. realized that I missed all of year two for Tatum!! so, I am going thru files and printing all of them at once.. then I'll go back and do year four, five for Brigham.
Tatum turns three next week, so I doubt I will be caught up.. but hopefully I can make a dent.
Andrew keeps hinting that the scrap booking needs to go.. since photography has taken over. I just can't bring myself to do it quite yet.. I still get a high out of creating something like this.. I have a friend trying to switch me over to digi scrapping.. and I just won't take the plunge.
Esp when I have so much $$ wrapped up in all the stuff, and the kit clubs that I had coming every month. (there are lots of kits that I have not even opened yet! ) um.. yeah.. sad isn't it.
I . WILL. NOT. BE PUT ON HOARDERS.
I . WILL . CREATE MEMORIES FOR MY FAMILY.
If blogger would let me upload my siggy in blood.. I'd do it. Folks, I am serious.. even more important than the pictures.. I want my words and my stories to be a gift to my children.
Do you have anything that you miss doing? Can you find time in your busy life to get back to it?
I'd love to hear from you.. and to know that I am not alone!! LOL
well, thanks for looking at my pages!!!

Monday, April 19, 2010

pluggin right along...

So yeah... my last post was prior to our whirlwind busy, busy weekend... and now we're catching our breath on the other side!
We enjoyed a breeze blasting soccer game at noon. Bummer about this sport is that its either cold/wet/windy whether its being played in spring or fall.. but at the rate we (um , Brig) is going.. we may not be seeing another season!!
Have to keep reminding ourselves that he IS only five. AND that he is there to have fun. But seriously, its amazing to us, how many kids(mostly NOT on our team..lol) totally get the game. and are competitive. Brigham's coach rotates the kids so they can play every position and they all get equal playing time. That is good for teaching.. but after awhile, we thought perhaps Brig's turn at goalie should have been cut short. Um.. he didn't get it at all.. and the poor kid let 4 goals go right thru. .. and so we're working on it.. and making sure he is having fun. which he OBVIOUSLY is... because tonight at practice, the coach yells across the field "hey , Brigham, you need to stop watching Dancing With the Stars and start watching some soccer!". ouch.
My first born son, who was totally content to sit on a blanket for hours.. did not even crawl until after his first bday.. didn't walk until 18 months.. etc, etc... now apparently has ants in his pants and can not control himself on the field. thank goodness we don't have this problem in the classroom.
At any rate, the kid loves it..is dying to get to practice and games. ... (he just has NO clue what is going on during them.. lol).. oy.
Part of our weekend then included the Boilermaker Spring Football game. The kids loved it and the weather was beautiful.. we all get a little color (sunburn) on our faces!! Brigham has decided that he is going to play football in the fall. Dad is really encouraging this , because thankfully in this sport there all kinds of positions.. you don't HAVE to be good with the ball.. and you don't HAVE to be good at throwing, OR catching.. heck.. he could be a kicker.. OR he could just play in the marching band. um.. yeah.. that would be good too. We're learning as parents, that we support and encourage him no matter (well, almost) path he takes. and as my dear old' dad put it while watching the game.. "some kids are good in the class room. and others in sports. seldom do you see both.".. Well, thank goodness our little guy is stellar in the classroom.. he'll be an engineer or top executive some day!
Sadly , we did not make Purdue's bug bowl or spring fest this year. Its the first time since Brigham has been born that we didn't go. Had to give myself grace and just focus on the other zillion things we had going on. The bathroom remodel project. Its all primed and painted and I *think* I love it! The flooring is cut, and we just need to get it down.. though probably not until next weekend. My dad will come back up to help Andrew figure it out. I have to get the vanity painted and then pick out the hardware and fixtures this week.. get some towels, and accessories, etc. I am getting excited to see it all come together... and now my head is spinning with ideas for the master bath... lol.. isn't it just one thing right after another?
We had an amazing church service, I am so glad my Dad was there to experience it with us. I actually wished about 10 of my closest friends could have been there to experience it , and about 50 of my acquaintances.. it was just. awesome. I will blog more about it soon, b/c I deserves a post all on it's own.
Had 3 sessions too, over the weekend, and was supposed to have one tonight but the kiddos got sick so had to reschedule =(... a blessing though, giving me some extra time to get caught up on editing.. (thank goodness I leave myself plenty of window to get proofs to my clients) I have two more sessions this week and had two more requests today. My inbox is getting quite the action, and I am loving talking to so many new people! I truly thank my clients, friends, and friends of friends for all the support I have gotten in my business. 2010 is starting off BOOMING......
Since this is my personal blog , I tend to focus more on family happenings etc, and I forget to mention things going on with my photography.. I'll try to remember to give little updates here and there.. but you can always head over to my photo blog
or to my website to see what I have been up to.
I am weeding thru my edits both from sessions and then sifting thru a few here and there from Nashville.. here is one of my Tatum girl that I just love. I have been taking pictures for a friend who makes the most adorable bows/headbands/flowers/hats..etc.. Go check out chick pea bows . She has been gracious to give me some samples to use for clients and I have splurged on a bunch for Tatum and myself as well.. Kelly is working towards a new website and a new shop on etsy, but in the mean time you can find what she offers on her blog and she loves to do custom orders too!!

Life is busy, life is full and (especially after today) I just feel such at peace at where God has me right now. He has been doing some amazing works in my family and it just gets me giddy. I know that every time things are going great, there will be trials(like today) to try and bring me down.. I just have to continue to make the choice of how I respond... and I am so thankful for my loving Father for giving me the strength and endurance to get thru the icky times.

I think of that chumbawamba song.... " I get knocked down.. but I get up again.. " ahhhh the fun college memories that has for me, but its so upbeat that I can't help but be happy!! I know, I know.. Christian lyrics are powerful too and I have a whole slew of them I listen too and meditate the words.. but this is just fun. and "you're not ever going to get me down".. kinda attitude..

and now I really have to get going... number 3 needs to head to bed.. thanks for reading !

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

I am still alive.

barely.. haaaa.

So I just returned from a fabulous fun filled, action packed weekend in Nashville with about 25 other amazing photog friends (some old and some new).. it was a blast and my little fam went with so we could have a little get away at the same time. My dear friend Farrah was there, and I can't believe I have seen her 3 times in less then a year.. she keeps trying to get me to move to CO.. but at the rate we're going. we'd probably see each other more living apart. ha. isn't it just how it is?

(we're trying and trying to get out of IN... really and truly.. stupid economy.. lol)
LOVE that city... my friend Katie said that she wanted to move there. and Um, yeah.. (hadn't been there since I was like 12) and I could SOOO live there.
anyway... my facebook profile has been blasted with tags of my cutie heads at all of our fantastic session locals.. (if you're my fb friend.. go check them out.. )

We stopped on the way home at Dinosaur World( you know that tacky attraction along side of the interstate. like "come see the world's biggest guinea pig!").. well, it actually was pretty cool(cheesy).. but to a 5 yr old boy and a 2 yr old girl.. it was like Disney World. (and the parents were impressed by how uberly clean and manicured the mile and half trail thru the forest , in- habitated by over 150 LIFESIZE dinos was).

I am soo happy that we made the stop. Even if we were tired. Even if it would put us home late. Even if it meant driving in the dark( and you all know how much I hate driving in the dark) oh. And Even if it was $40 bucks for about an hour.
it was the favorite part of the trip. Brigham got his post card as a souvenir and he proudly took it to school on Monday. He was even more thrilled when his teacher pointed out the www.dinosaurworld.net on the back of the card.! ( you mean we can see it on the computer??!!)

AND he wrote up a little something to turn in so that our taking him out of school on Friday was excused. Bonus. =)

So.... we are recouping from that.. I have 766 pictures to go thru from the trip.. plus a family session to edit. I have someone coming tomorrow to place an order and one to pick up an order. I have a session tomorrow morning/ Fri/Sat/ and Sun this week. Business is so GOOD. I LOVE being busy and meeting all these new and (adorable) people. LOVE IT.

I have had a couple play dates this week.. both fun and both needed. had a social night for Life group tonight. Met grandma/uncle monkey at the park last night for dinner ( LOVING the weather )..

Soccer practice twice a week, plus games...

Starting the bathroom remodel tomorrow.. I am going to strip everything out.. prime the walls.. then Saturday we start installing the floor/ paint/ and then we'll finish up the fixtures, etc. My dad is coming up to help and of course we'll take a time out so we can head over to Purdue for the annual Springfest and the Boiler FB spring game.

needless to say, I am just on auto pilot right now.... not to mention every time I go out to get the mail or get the kid from the bus, I spend 5 min in my yard picking out bits of the unwanted grass that decided to take up residency in my flower beds. ugh. such a daunting task.
BUT I am so giddy to be seeing all the color in my yards.. love this time of year. of rebirth.. things getting green and sprouting all over the place..

and so if I don't blog for a while.. you'll know why.. lol

OH, and I am also planning Tatum's bday party. well it is planned, now just executing my plan! LOL

so if I tend to neglect reading your blog updates as well.. you'll know why as well. I will try and get caught up soon!

thanks for your patience! =)

Tuesday, April 06, 2010

Our Sunday best

at least they were all dressed in their best: well, truthfully, I can't believe how fabulous my kids are. they are just the coolest, sweetest kids in the whole wide world. We had a wonderful church service.. brought me to tears. followed by a delicious lunch at Baja Peninsula with grandma and Uncle Brian. followed by an egg hunt and more candy and toys, etc at grandma's house.
I love how not one of the kids is looking at the camera.. this is so my life right now! lol


they could have hunted for eggs all day. and it was a glorious day for us to be outside too. Just perfect.

















We had a busy weekend, and some other fun activities that I'll share but need to scoot to get
1) screaming, jumping baby from the exersaucer
2) happily playing with her hair bows in an imaginary world, when she is supposed to be napping little girl
3) and my sweet kindergartner who will be at the bus stop in 5 minutes
be back later with more pics!!





Thursday, April 01, 2010

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