Growing

Here's some recent pics of our new 6 month old. It's hard to believe he is already 1/2 a year.
He's full of smiles (seriously such a great baby), sleeping most of the night 7pm-5:30am, and just started rice cereal, those are the quick stats...on to the pictures.

Holiday Chaos - I've been self diagnosed

This time last year, was complete and utter CHAOS. I was taking photos, printing cards, reprinting cards, and taking more photos. And to top it all off, I was pregnant and highly emotional, all of this adds up to one big giant ball of stress. It was not such a good holiday.

This year I was determined to make it different and to feel different. I have been still photographing, but I put aside the card printing (trying to learn from my mistakes) and I decided to take a break from being pregnant too, just to guarantee a more Merry holiday. I thought all was going well, till this morning.

As I was reading a friend's blog she posted she was having a baby boy! I was completely surprised. As I read farther on it turns out she had an earlier post that she thought she was having a girl. As I read, I felt like the worst friend, that I had no clue she was even pregnant, let alone halfway through! I was silently blaming my husband for not even passing on the good news. Which then I thought, maybe he doesn't even know yet.

I started tracking down the post for when my friend initially posted her good news (thinking maybe no one knew she was pregnant, and the gender post was her initial announcement). Turns out that she did make her grand announcement clear back in August. As I was reading her comments of her good friends wishing her well, lo and behold there was a friendly comment from who else...?

ME! I am seriously losing it. I don't remember posting my comment at all. Like I said before I didn't even think I knew she was pregnant. I thought my good blogging husband must have put a comment on there for me. After reading what I wrote, it was definitely not my husbands comment.

How can this be? Is it truly possible to forget all of this and be just as surprised 4 months later!? I have resorted to blaming it all on the holidays and I will just start diagnosing my condition (because I think there is a condition here) to HOLIDAY CHAOS.

So to my good friend that is expecting a boy! CONGRATS AGAIN, I really am so happy for you!

I'm a Darfish

From the desk of Darrin:

So the other night I was home with the kids (“babysitting”). As I was cleaning up dinner I almost stepped on Eden, because she was right behind me just lying on the floor like this.
I asked her what she was doing and she didn't respond. So I stepped over her and kept doing my thing. I again almost stepped on her lying on the floor (she had moved to a new spot). I asked her again what she was doing, "I'm a darfish” she said. “What is a darfish”, I asked. “Darfishs don't talk” she said. It took me about 10 minutes and finally Baylie coming into the kitchen and telling me that she was a Starfish before it all made since. I will miss these days of little kids, and their imagination. I love them so much.

wrist-strap required

We are so fortunate for our TV that our children always wear the safety strap while playing the Wii. As for our girls standing so close to each other while playing Wii Tennis, well that lesson was learned the hard way!

Let it snow

Our first snowfall. I bundled up the girls and got the camera. As I was watching them, and especially Jaya when she stuck her tongue out to catch the snow, I was overwhelmed with that childhood wonderment. Do you remember that? How everyday brought something new.

My friend just recently passed on her mother's wisdom that as a mother we need to make everyday magical. I've been thinking about that, and wondering and hoping that I do that.

What I've realized is that a kids' life is already magical, it's just up to me to play along.

The Jesses'

So I had the amazing opportunity to photograph my brother's wedding and it wasn't until it was all said and done that I could take a deep breath, and enjoy the pictures. It was fun to shoot, but it was a stressful day in general, I will spare you the details, and just share the pics...

Candyland

I know this is late, and I posted all the pics on FB but then I thought not everyone goes to FB. Plus, after all the time spent to make the costumes, can I really only post them one place??

Welcome to Candyland...

Darrin is Mr. Mint, I wish we would have gotten a better pic of his ax because it was one of the best parts of the outfit (and the only real reason he wanted to be Mr. Mint). I was Lord Licorice, but we changed it to "Lady Licorice" - Darrin didn't want to be on a date with a guy!

Kale played Plumpy

Eden was the charming Mr. Jolly

Baylie - Princess Lolly

Jaya was Queen Frostine