Personal Alert! So happy its warm out!!!

Spring Cleaning!! He helped mommy, while I took pictures and his baby sister played!

Can we turn back time please? What happened to that baby swing for my baby??

 BUBBLES!!!!

Ummm??  Busted! He wanted to "finish" these so he could use the colored bubbles that he found in the cabinet...

She figured out the gross way that bubbles do not taste very good!

 Cross eyed looking at the bubbles! :)

I asked him to look at my camera, so he did, with his mouth WIDE open.  So I asked him to close it, so he did, closed it shut!

Bubbles make me giggle.


♥

I hope you don't still do that when you are 15...

So, you have heard me mention about my children, I love them. I love the silly faces they make. I love the silly things they say. I love the silly things they do.  I mentioned silly, right? Down right silly.

My daughter who will be 3 in June, going on 15 has started this strange tradition when we get home from getting my son at school. At first it had me slightly concerned, is there something wrong? Is there a reason for this? She has strong opinions about EVERYTHING. Don't ever tell her that she is doing something the wrong way, or maybe try it this way, (she can see right through that one too) she is my handful...but I wouldn't change her for the world. She has strong convictions about how she likes her orange juice (half juice, half water) she will not eat grapes if you cut them in half, she has to "approve" all of her clothes, don't you dare try to put something on her that she didn't want to wear, you will have a half naked kid running through Target because she "told you mommy, I didn't want to wear this shirt!" She has to try things for herself first, and then gripe about it for a minute and then she will ask for help (don't interrupt, or the griping will continue on 4 times as long.) She likes to watch her movies laying on the floor smack in front of the tv (her feet touch the entertainment center) and again, if you suggest that she might be more comfortable on the couch, you will get an earful. lol.

So onto this "tradition." I think its silly, and I can't understand how it can in any possibility feel good or make sense in her brain, but it does...and don't suggest to disturb it.

And see, it switches feet (I started to worry that maybe she was uneven!) So this is just her.... And it cracks me up!

And remember that Target day.....  Here she is, half naked, she didn't want to wear the shirt - so she didn't!

And this is today...  At least I don't have to worry about her being shy.... (well maybe I do!!!)

A phrase that wasn't used much before she entered into the world was "Pick your battles." My husband and I know it well and thankfully giggle about it often. If this is the silliest thing she does, I think we are doing pretty well!

Hug your kids, pick your battles, and live your passion!

♥

Life.

Well, I got a rotten start to the whole 52 week project. I completed the first week on time, with purpose and then failed miserably. I think its quite fitting that week 2, the subject was "Life". Life got in the way of me completing this on time, but I still thought I would share. 
Life got in the way, but it's life that is important. My life is my children, my family, my photography.  Being successful at all of those items pretty much defines who I am, how I function, and how I deal.
Success is important to me, incredibly important. Not just meaning I want to make a million dollars a month and "Be Successful," but on more of a real level. I want to have success with my children. Teach them right from wrong, how to be respectful, how to be kind. I want to show and teach them compassion, to love and be loved. To be determined, to never give up. To laugh, a lot. To never take them self so serious that they forget to enjoy life and life's moments. I want to teach them responsibility for themselves and how to take ownership for their actions.
My success with Photography is also not to make a million dollars, although if it were handed to me, lets be honest - I won't tell you no. I do it because it makes me happy, and it makes people happy. Capturing those moments that fly by in the blink of an eye is just amazing to me. I'm still in awe of my job. 
Life to me is all of that. I'm a perfectionist, and I tend to perfect that art daily. (I have severe issues with "evenness" and I like most everything to be balanced and symmetrical.) I am hard on my self when it comes to my family, my parenting with my children and my photography - but I think that just pushes me to do the best that I can, every time I do it.
The best part of life? My children's giggle. Plain and simple. Its that pure, honest, belly laugh that is contagious and can make any horrid day perfectly wonderful. I work at home with them, all day. And there are days where I debate getting a sitter so I can have 5 minutes of uninterrupted time...but then I would miss the giggles. I never want to miss the giggles.

Ok, so to sum it up:  Life = Giggles. 
What makes my children giggle like crazy? SNOW!

Life. Real Life.

Photography freezes time.  It can capture emotion, fears, happiness, excitement, and everything in between. I love photography for all of those reasons. Not just the photos where everyone is sitting perfectly looking at the camera saying cheese, but the ones that show real life.

My wish for everyone is to have a family picture taken, and have it done often. Don't postpone because "Timmy" broke his arm and is in a cast, or Mom thinks she needs to lose 10 pounds, or Dad doesn't have a decent thing to wear, it doesn't matter. All of that is life. Its what happens to us on a daily basis.  And its what makes YOUR life YOURS.

Photographs are an important part of memories, of your legacy, of your family's history. A photograph isn't just a piece of paper, its a time machine, its a story, its a life.


Part of my resolution was to do more with my photography. With so much importance behind it, I want to share it. Not just with my clients as part of my business, but beyond that. I want to do something special for me, and something special for someone else.  I have been searching for months to figure out what exactly that was for me. I have been so blessed in this life. My children are healthy and happy, my husband has a good job, we have a nice roof over our head, we can afford to buy groceries each week, and I am doing something with my life that I love. I wanted to share a part of me with someone.  I found this beautiful organization, it was started in Canada and has branched out to world wide. Its called the Maple Leaf Mission, and I applied last night to be a part of it. They assist families who would otherwise not have any family photos, and they are the ones who need it the most. I encourage you all to visit the website, its a powerful message. Photos capture time for when tomorrow doesn't come.

I will not be compensated for any work I do with the organization, which is what I wanted. There are some out there that do, but there are fees then that are charged and passed on to the families.  I don't want someone who is battling cancer and the cost of all the medical bills to have to come up with the money to get those precious photos that will eventually last beyond them here on earth.  It will be an honor for me to share my gift with them.
I encourage you all to share this website with your friends and family, get the people in need registered, in any state on any continent.

I will keep you all posted on my journey.

New Year, New Stuff, New Resolutions

Every January comes around and forces us all to reflect.  Reflect on life, our jobs, our families, and what is important. I'm not sure why come March everyone (myself included) forgets all of these important things and gotten back into the "same-old, same-old" that causes us again the following year, in January, to try again.  I suppose its not that I forget what is important, nor do I ignore it, but life just has a way of GETTING IN THE WAY!  But....NOT THIS YEAR.  I have started a few new projects and have been looking into adding a few more to start off continuing what is important. Life and family. 

One of my new projects is I joined a "52 week Challenge."  For everyone outside of the photography world, it pushes you to try 52 new things, ordinary and extraordinary, all with your camera and capturing more of life that otherwise might have been ignored.  Its a fun way to share "what is me" and my quirky self with all of you and makes me reflect on more of the smaller things.  The first week photo(s) are for "RESOLUTIONS"  They want me to pick just one photo that sums up all my resolutions? I am new in business, I have 2 small children, I haven't showered in 5 years with out a little knock on the glass door saying "MOMMY!!!" and I have to pick just one? Maybe a panoramic photo of my house would do some justice, but there is no way I can pick just one!

The first one, I am picking for my children.  I have wonderful children, they make my heart swell every time I look into those beautiful eyes of theirs, (totally having a mommy moment over here tearing up thinking about how much I love them) and I love how much they love each other. So number ONE is "DON'T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF!"

Here is my little princess....ON THE COUNTER TOP!!!

Can you see out that window?? Ok, good, because I can't either!!
Having two little ones, who are home with me all day, seem to have a way with causing trouble and making messes! Our house has seen better organized days, not that everything is totally discombobulated, well, maybe a little.  I know where everything is - its on the counter top, the floor, my desk, my dresser, my other desk, or this pile over here that I swear has grown eyes and is currently starring at me.

I am totally ashamed to show this, but here is my current work space, that has become a catchall for everything Mommy associated, along with my props, lighting, and things on my "to do" list.  This is real. It doesn't get any more real than this. This is resolution number TWO - GET ORGANIZED....AGAIN.  This only happened maybe the last 3 months of last year - I acquired new equipment, got super busy with work, super busy with the holidays and volia....general DISASTER!! (And again, I REALLY DO know where everything is, thankfully I have a really good memory, so nothing is lost or misplaced, and I know where I "set" everything, its just nothing is in its home!)

 And yes, those are VHS tapes sitting on my floor.

This is the rest of my dinning room converted into my main level office (I'm thankful to say at least the upstairs office is well organized, but it doesn't get used nearly as often.)

And finally, my desktop. I have all the most very important items on my desk as you will see... I have my video camera, my point and shoot camera, my phone, my Pepsi and the current information I am currently compiling for my taxes...but then we also have reindeer food, rubber band bracelets that are stamped with monkeys, a shot glass (looking at this I wish it were for drinking, but it holds the jewelry I strip off while working) and then next to the shot glass I have a Disney "Prep and Landing" ornament that needs to get fixed, and many other unneeded items!  Next photo you see of this desk - it will be perfectly organized, and beautiful.

Final resolution, number THREE!
My last and final resolution is to spend more time on the part of Photography that I enjoy while benefiting my business at the same time.  More for fun.  More for practice.  Find a way to donate my time as a photographer. Market, market, market.  Read more. Practice more. Read more. Practice more. Shadow someone local. Read more. Practice more. Share my gift (more exciting information coming soon on that!)

I'm looking forward to this year. I'm excited for the new things on the horizon, for changes and for organization. My goal is to get less gray hair this year than I did last year! Ha! Here is to wishing a wonderful, plentiful and successful 2012 to all!!

A new bundle to celebrate!

This beautiful bundle was born in October, and the day I went to do the shoot, the weather was GORGEOUS - and we were able to even get outside! She slept like a champ, and was just sweet as could be! She was so little, much smaller than either of my babes, I just loved getting to cuddle her and enjoyed my few hours loving on her and capturing everything that made her so sweet!

Beautiful "G" Family

This was my second trip out to their house, the first time, the littlest man was just 4 months old...now he is crawling, giggling at everything, and into everything! It was great fun to see how much he had grown!! This family is just sweet as can be with 3 gorgeous kiddos! Each full of such personality, it is always fun to get to spend a couple of hours with them!