Day in the Life March 2014

“If you live to be a hundred, I want to live to be a hundred minus one day so I never have to live without you.” 
― A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh

  So my son has this stuffed animal. His grandmother gave it to him when he was 9 months old. Back then it was a nice stuffed animal that played music and we put it in his bed every night for him to sleep with. We weren't sure why but as most kids will do- they will attach themselves to that one item that they won't let go of. We called this stuffed animal "Duckie". Now looking back I am not sure why we called it that. Its really hard to say what it is for sure but it's yellow and so hey- it's a duck ok? 

  Flash forward to the present. Duckie has gone through a few transformations. He doesn't have his string anymore to pay music because I cut it off when it stopped working, although the "tail" still remains. Duckie has gotten a new pair of "shoes" and a "nose job" but he is still Duckie. My son is now almost 9 years old and Duckie still sleeps with him and does just about everything else you can imagine. He isn't as "yellow" as he used to be but he is still loved like the first day he was grasped by my son's tiny little hands at 9 months of age. So here's to you Duckie and all those "duckies" out there. 

This year marks a few changes for me. I have started doing my favorite thing in the world (outside of taking care of my family) by working on my photography dream full time. I have started a couple blog circles and I have been actively pursuing an official 365 project. So I hope you continue to follow me in my journey while I do these things that I so love to do and am so passionate about. If you would like to see more of my work then please venture here or you can contact me to learn more about blog circles and 365 projects and how you can start one for yourself. But most of all please continue on with this circle as I am sure you will find the work by Lori very inspiring as well. 

Much love. 

Kids Were Here February 2014

   So continuing on with my blog circle this month I was a little stumped. The theme we were given is LOVE.  Well being that it is the month of Valentine's Day I guess that would make sense. We don't really celebrate Valentine's Day in our home but the kids have their parties at school and they enjoy getting all that candy. So instead of talking about love in the mushy sense, I am choosing another route…

   My life is awesome. My kids are doing all their chores and they are behaving like little angels. They NEVER argue. We get our homework done on time every day and we are having no problems with eating all our healthy foods. We make it out of the house ON TIME every day for school - which by the way they just love being at! Ok…so that isn't all true but what can I say? A woman can dream can't she?
   Now for the real story… My kids remember their chores only because we have this really cool program called ChoreMonster that rewards them for their awesome doings. My kids fight with each other at least 2/3 of their day. The other 1/3 is spent sleeping- if you get my drift. We actually do get our homework done every day but no one said it had to be early right? We are at least 10 minutes late getting out the house every morning but I do always have a healthy lunch packed for them now. Whether they eat it or not is a different story… My son actually tells me that the only thing he likes about being in school is recess but that is normal ok? My daughter is young yet as she is only in kindergarten so give her time…

Well, on a happier note I do not expect to be perfect nor do I expect people to care that much about my life but I have to say that the last month has been perfect. Me being at home full time just working on the job I love - my photography business - has been the most enjoyable and stressful thing all at the same time. So, to get back to Dr. Seuss…my reality is better than my dreams and I am enjoying every minute of it.  If you would like to see more of my work please visit my website here but if you have any questions please email me here! Continue on with the circle here with Misty and see where it leads you! You won't be disappointed!

Much love…

My kids were here January 2014

“I suppose it's like the ticking crocodile, isn't it? Time is chasing after all of us.” 
― J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan

Time is chasing us. They are getting older.  The slight remembrances of your own youth. Are they good memories? Do you aspire to have your children be as happy as you once were? We have this problem nowadays that we try to make our kids grow up faster than they need to. Its not really our fault. The media has made us think that our kids need to be smarter than the next kid and - oh yeah - at a younger age. We buy into it because its easy to believe that your kids can have more than what you had and they will be able to go farther in life than you did. They will get that Master's degree in some really smart topic in school and you will be very proud because they made it farther than you. (Of course this is assuming that you have not done those miraculous things- as much of us have not…but I digress.) Although there is nothing wrong with wanting more for your kids than you had, it causes a problem. Children these days are losing their youth.

I blame myself for my kids not acting like "kids". I don't force them to go outside. I always make them do things they don't want to do just because it will make my life easier. It is a never-ending cycle. I get so mad when my kids leave things on the floor and when they don't pick up after themselves.  But one day I realized that it doesn't matter. All that stuff will get done eventually. All they want is to be loved and have fun. Everything else will follow.

"But sometimes a person we love through no fault of his own, can't see
past the end of his nose." 
Mary Poppins


Don't let this be you. Let your kids be kids and let them experience life as it is now and not as you wish it to be for them later. My goal of 2014 is to focus on the now. Focus on my kids and focus on their (and my) happiness. Its a funny thing when you look at your life from above. You see things that maybe you weren't able to see before.  I suggest you try it. Try acting more like a child and let them have fun…with you. Thats the important part. That is what they want the most. So as I understand the importance of doing the laundry and picking up after your kids and making sure they do their homework- understand that life happens and you don't want to be the one caught up in the future only to realize you've missed the past. 

So this blog post (and some future ones this year) will be dedicated to my kids and the fact that I realize there was a time that they "were here". Lets celebrate it. Don't look forward for it to be over. Don't lose sight of who they are now and most importantly don't ever ask them to change. 

If you like reading about "my kids were here" and you want more please follow this link. My dear new friend Andrea will explain this topic in her own words. It will be an amazing read I guarantee. Continue on in the blog circle until you reach me again. Have some fun while you are surfing the web. Don't be so serious.  

If you want to see more of my work please visit my website or follow me on pinterest. But if you just want to chat then leave a comment here or email me here. 

My love always and forever…

So I'm in a blog circle...

Well this year is all about changes and new opportunities. I am starting off a new life in a way. I have two beautiful children and I have a wonderful supportive husband and I just can't say enough how happy I am that I live where I live and I have the friends I have. That all being said I am also starting on a new stressful journey. I actually quit my job the other day to begin a new journey in photography full time. Many things have contributed to helping me make this decision however the most important of all of them are my kids. They have driven me to want to be with them more often and take care of them more efficiently and I just can't do that to the best of my ability without being home. Because I worked a full time job that took me into the night time hours and I was also spending time doing photography on the side, I never had time to officially be comfortable with how I was treating my kids. So now I can begin a new story about not just life around here with new changes but also life around my kids! I am very truly excited to be starting this wonderful venture and I can't wait to share it all with you!

My kids mean everything to me and as I often tell them, "Everything I do, I do for you". Corny I know, but they get my point. That time that I came home late from work and wasn't able to say goodnight or that time I yelled at them because I was so stressed and overwhelmed with a due date for my favorite job (photography) that I snapped. Come on, we all have those moments when you are stressed and overwhelmed. My husband never seems happy with the house wife that I am and unfortunately I just don't have it in me to be that "super-mom". Well times are about to change.

One of my many goals this year was to join a blog circle.  What is a blog circle you ask? A blog circle is a blog where you always reference another photographer and there are only so many of us in the circle so eventually it will get back around to me. We all share talking about the same thing. This blog circle is supposed to be still life photographs about my kids. Photos that say my "kids were here". Now at first I was not really very excited about this theme to tell you the truth! After I signed up all I could envision were photos of my dirty house! But now the more I think about it the more I am excited to show my kids personalities without showing my kids. This is surely a new direction for me and something I have never tried before so I hope you enjoy as I begin this new journey of blogging and trying out my new lifestyle…as a photographer.

Much love always and forever.
Don't forget to go check out my website and see all the wonderful things there I have to share. If you would like to book an appointment with me please contact me here today. Stay in touch so you too can read all the amazing things my blog circle will have to share.