Catching Up...

I've been a seriously terrible blogger lately.  I hope to get better again, back to the way I used to be.  I've just been trying to concentrate on other things recently.  I really enjoy blogging so I'm sure I'll be back in no time.  The following 3 posts are all new.  I wanted to catch up to the most recent events so I can get back in the swing of things! Enjoy!

Meeting Santa

As you can see, it really didn't go that well.

O Christmas Tree

We usually go to a Christmas Tree Farm to pick out the perfect tree for our home.  This year was especially fun because it was right after the first real snow of the year and everything was so beautiful. We had so much fun.

The tree we picked.  It was perfect and petite.

My favorite thing about our tree this year are these little cardinals that I put on it. 

Photo Collage

I've been planning a photo collage for a living room for sometime now and we finally got it up.  There's still a few twicks to make to it but for the most part I'm so happy with it.  It really brings something to that wall which just had a puny little shelf on it before and it's nice to finally have some of my favorite photos of all of us up on the wall.  It took a lof of planning and  most of the afternoon, but it was well worth it.  Take a look at our process.

Cutting out papers the size of the frames and then arranging them on the wall helped so much.  It really elimated a lot of measuring and frustration.

Actually getting some of the frames up. 

Leon is helping Kyle who is making sure the measurements are just right.

And the final product:

We actually had plans for another row but we quickly realized we were not going to have enough space.  This is what we orginally had planned:

The living room is really starting to look like I've wanted it to.  It's so nice.  I just have to make a few pillows and finish decoring the fireplace mantle it will be pretty much done! 

LOVE

I've been feeling the love in my home tonight - really feeling it.  I've been just been listening to giggles and observing Leon and Kyle play together.  I feel so blessed.  Leon seriously does have the cutest giggle in the world and it just lights up my whole world when I hear it.  He's a coolest kid.  Kyle started teaching him how to do somersaults last night and this evening Leon did some all by himself.  Kyle and I just looked at each other, gasped, looked at Leon who was smiling ear to ear laying on his back, and then we clapped and cheered.  I'll try to get it on video - it's impressive for a 22 month old.  22 months?  Gesh.  Where has the time gone?  Leon came and sat in my lap after he was given some milk.  I wanted to sit there like that forever.  I don't want him to get any bigger.  It breaks my heart a little to know he will.  I love him more and more each day and it is amazing.  Kyle is such a good dad - and husband.  I've been feeling a little under the weather and he's been taking such good care of Leon for me.  I'm just loving everything about our little family.  I'm so grateful for them.  I'm grateful we know how important family is. I'm grateful for the knowledge that I can be with them forever.  That's everything.

(all images taken by Mindy Hiatt Photography)

I'm loving this winter.  I'm loving staying cooped up in the house and having a break from working.  I don't know how long that will last though.  I've been getting so much done - things I've actually wanted to do but just haven't had the time for.  It's been so nice to just have a break.

P.S. check out my lastest winter photo blog posts.

My Dream

I have this dream of what I want my portrait photography to be.  I have a tough time describing it, but I want my portraits to show love and passion and emotion and timelessness, but to also to be real and unique. I've loved so many of the session I've done this year but I sometimes feel like it's not me and it's not exactly what I want my work to express. I feel like a lot of times I'm just doing what everybody else is doing or wants. Well, a few weeks ago, I finally did a session that I feel reflects me as an artist.  The images turned out amazing.  While editing them, I was so incredibly grateful to be reminded of what I want.  Take a look and please really see these images.

I'm so looking  forward to this little break of mine.  I'm really going to take the time to evaluate what I want in my life and for my work.  I'm going back to my roots and rediscovering what made me want to do all of this in the first place.  I'll let you know how it goes.

because I feel like it

There's about a billion things I should be doing right now, but I just feel like writing and I'm going to.  Everything else will just have to wait.  Things have been so crazy, but there is finally light at the end of the tunnel from all the business and I'm really, really looking forward to it.  I'm pretty much done with portrait sessions for the year.  I'm selling some of my art work in a local craft fair in 9 days and that is what is keeping me busy right now.  But after the 20th, I'm done.  I'm really looking forward to this little break to recuperate, work on my house, spend quality time with my son, and I have a few fun projects I going to work on.

It's been really nice the last few days.  It's been sunny and 70 degrees which you just can't beat for November.  Leon was getting a little restless in the house - he's be banging on the door or running to get his shoes so we could get outside but it had been too cold.  I needed the nice weather as much as he did.  We took a little walk at the battlefield again the other day.  The above picture is from our walk.  It was nice to get out and wander.  It's still beautiful out. 

What am I going to do about Leon this winter?  Any thoughts on how to keep a little guy busy during a long winter?

I've been loving being around my Leon so much lately.  I feel a refreshed perspective about motherhood and it's made life much happier and easier.  There are still bad days (like yesterday) but I feel like I'm handling them much better.  I'm loving seeing Leon grow and learn.  He's getting quite the imagination.  We taught him how to say "I love you" by pointing at his eye, hugging his chest, and pointing at us.  It's so cute.  He's also quite the little dancer with lots of funky moves.  I love to hear him crack up - it makes my world go round.  I can't believe he'll be 2 in just a few months.  It really does fly by like everyone says it does.

Well, I'd love to keep writing about...well, everything, but I shouldn't.  There's so much to do.  Hopefully I'll be back to write in a few days.

Cowboy

Leon was a cowboy for Halloween. 

He really wasn't the best at being a cowboy, but he sure was the cutest!

I made his chaps out of some left over felt I had.

Shooting daddy.

It was a FUN halloween.  We really enjoyed it. Now, I'm just stuck wondering where October went.  I seriously can not believe it is November already!

Energy

Oh how I wish I had his energy.  I wish I could bottle it up...for me.  We went to the park this morning.  I still can't believe how wild this little man can be - you'd think I'd be used to it by now.  I've been dragging myself around.  There are moments when I think drinking coffee wouldn't be so bad (you know, just for the caffiene aspect of it) and those moments have been coming much more frequently lately. 

 big yawn.

Things have been busy and are going to get even busier the next month or so.  I don't know how often I'll get to blog but I'll try to update here and there.   If you really want to know what I'm up to then just check out my photo blog cause photos are just about my life right now.  However, after November I'm taking nice LONG break.  Can't wait.

Our Family Pics

Check our family pics here by my friend Mindy Hiatt.

Thank you Mindy!  We love them.

Armoires

I seriously love armoires.  Always have, always will. 

Just take a look and you will too...

This past weekend we gladly welcomed an armoire into our home.  We had been looking for one for a little while but they are sooooooo gosh darn expensive and hard to find.  We finally found one on craigslist that was in superb condition and for a GREAT price.  It isn't necessarily the finish I wanted, but I still couldn't pass it up.  Maybe after years of wear and tear will restain it or paint it, but for know it's beautiful the way it is. 

So we went from this...                 ...to this.  Much better, huh?

It fills our living room much better than our old little stand.  Our old one looks so pathetic in the above picture.  We just love this armoire.  Leon can't reach up and turn the TV on when we don't want it on (he loves watching TV and pushing all the buttons).  It's also nice because when the doors are shut, the TV is out of sight and therefore out of mind.  I LOVE it.  Now I just need to finish up decorating the rest of the living room.  It really needs some color and needs to be lightened up.  I kinda want to paint again  (maybe a lighter neutral color that doesn't match our sofa so much) but I don't dare tell Kyle that ;)  We'll see how things look after I get some new pillows made and some more frames on the wall.

Two Peas in a Pod

I think Leon's best friend is his cousin, Harrison.  They're so cute together and Leon has so much fun with him.  They love to chase each other around.  Leon is full of laughter and smiles when Harrison is around.  It's music to my ears.  Today I'm watching Harrison while his momma goes on a field trip with his older sister.  He's so easy.  Right now, Leon is taking a nap and Harrison is watching a movie.  Every now and then, Harrison comes in to tell me something or ask a question.  He's such a sweet heart. 

Leon is so crazy.

I love Harrison's big smiles.

Isn't he a cutie?

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Harrison wrote that.

Anniversary, birthday, and yummy food

This past weekend Kyle and I celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary and Kyle's 28th birthday.  It was seriously a great weekend for the two of us.  We spent a lot of time together with it being just us and it was really good (even though we did miss Leon very much). 

On Friday night we went to a local Thai restaurant and ate some delicious Thai cuisine.  We got spring rolls to share.  I got the red curry which was sooooo yummy and Kyle got an old favorite - Thai Basil Stir fry.

 My yummy curry.

I love him.  He's my best friend on the whole earth.

After a very satisfying dinner, we took a little walk on the pedestrian bridge to work off some of that food.

Then we went and had ice cream at the best hand dipped ice cream shop - The Silver Dipper.  This is me enjoying my all time favorite ice cream. 

 On Saturday we celebrated Kyle's birthday by spending some more time on our own, going to the movies, and out for a late lunch. 
Kyle is looking all studly in this pic.

For a while we thought we were going to be the only ones there, but we were soon disappointed.  Oh well.

We ate at Kyle's favorite restaurant - South Street Smokehouse.  It has the best BBQ in town.  This was my yummy sandwich.

 Kyle got the ribs which also very, very yummy.



We definitely had a great time.  I think we gained about 5lbs each but it was well worth it.  I love you Kyle.

(all pics taken with my crappy little point and shoot camera)