{day two}

In all honesty, I am not taking that many pictures.  I am taking little video snippets on a new underwater/waterproof camera to try to make a short vacation video when we get home.  My friend Shana from Florabella made the CUTEST one a few weeks ago (click on link to watch it...so cute) and she challenged me to make one too:)

Also the weather has been iffy.  We have sunshine and then sudden storms.  In fact, last night we were trying to do family beach photos (possible Christmas Card shots) and it started pouring on us.  We were completely drenched.  So, I am thinking we might have to do another shoot (which is exactly what my kids want to do on vacation.

It is also hard to get pictures on the beach cause the kids have been super active.
Harry boogie boards, skim boards and plays all these beach and water games.  He is always on the move and does not like me taking his photo.

 Kate has nicknamed herself "Ocean Girl" because she is in the ocean constantly!  She rides waves, catches fish, boogie boards.  She has no fear and just swims all day long.  I had to drag her out of the water yesterday.

Cousin Ashton and Kate in the tube in the ocean.

These were on our way out to do beach photos...we came back SOAKING wet!

We are praying for sunshine for the rest of the week!  But rain or shine, we are having a great time. We are playing games, enjoying the beach and our time with my sister and her family too. Will and Harry rode bikes into town for the first time with out us yesterday.  They are exploring more and more on their own.  Tomorrow, my oldest friend (we have been friends since we were 3!) is coming to see us with her two teenage daughters.  I am so excited to see them!

Rub a Dub Dub {favorite photo friday}

Last Sunday we lost power for the whole day.  It was rainy and dark and the boys all went to the movies.  After a few games of Candy-land and go fish, I had an idea.  I asked Kate if she wanted to play in a bubble bath.  We have a huge window over our tub and the light was beautiful as the cloudy day provided a beautiful soft filter.  I took a ton of photos and Kate had a blast playing.  So here is my favorite from the set....

And then here are all the others that I really love too cause you know me.  I can't just post one photo.  I have no restraint when it comes to posting photos!

{She is looking in the drain cap as a mirror here and in many of the shots below}

After all that time in the tub, she had pruny hands....



All snug as a bug in a rug towel...

{Laughter}

This is my Kate.  Full of laughter.  Full of Joy! 

 I am taking a creative class/workshop.  It is a photography class that encourages us to look at the world differently.  It is not about shooting on manual (which I can do) but about capturing the everyday in a creative and interesting way (which I stink at).  We have clever assignments each week that I think will really stretch me.  I have been feeling in a slump creatively so this was just what the doctor ordered.  And of course, I will share some of my shots here and on Flickr.  Happy Monday!

I don't know how she does it!

Ha ha!  A few people commented or e-mailed asking how I get my kids to all look and smile each year for our Christmas card photos.  I had a good laugh at that question and decided to share my secrets. First, Dave gives them the lecture/pep talk.  It goes something exactly like this.... (imagine his stern voice)  "Okay kids, you know how important good pictures are to Mom.  She does a lot for you every single day.  This is one thing she asks of you.  You know if you all just smile and look at her, we will be done.  If not, we will have to go through this all over again until she gets what she wants."

The boys LOATHE our photo sessions so they are all business.  They cooperate because they want it done.

Now, how do I/we get the smiles?  Potty humor!  That is our top secret.  Dave stands behind me making faces and potty jokes.  As you can imagine, I do not like potty humor.  But once or twice or thrice a year, we bring it on to get some good giggles and big smiles.  Works every time.  So there you have it.

This year, it was stressful.  I was trying to get some good shots for my sister, some of my kids and set up some shots manually for her to take of us (which she did very well).  It was HOT and we were all hungry.  Will propelled Harry off a teeter totter sending him flying into the ground.  He got hurt.  Tears were shed.  Will was scolded.  A cuss word might have even been said by a grown up.  It wasn't pretty.

When we got to the restaurant just after our photo shoot to eat, my sister snapped this photo of me....

I had been SO stressed that I almost cried.  Harry was hurt and in a bitter mood.  I was so relieved just to be done with the photos and have a BIG glass of wine and a big glass of water.  I think it is my favorite photo.  Thanks Dawn.  I have a feeling when my kids are in therapy as adults, these "photo Sessions" will come up;)

take me out to the ball-game

Hoot's Mom invited our family to go to an Astros game last night.  We were fortunate enough to sit in a corporate suite and it was amazing.  I will tell you my children are officially spoiled now. I am not sure they will ever want to sit in regular seats again! They all LOVED it.  Well, Kate started off a little scared.  New situations and LOUD environments still scare her at first.  In fact, she hid under a table in the suite for a few minutes.  But the company of her friend, Libbie, the security of Daddy's lap and most of all the great junk food made her warm up pretty quickly.

Will loved the food.  I am not sure I have ever seen him eat so much!  He provided us all with a running tally of his intake;) That is a teenage boy for you.  He is almost 14!!!! Where has the time gone?!

Libbie amazes me.  This little girl was running around the box toward the end of the night with the big kids.  She melted my heart when I saw the look on her face that she recognizes us and knows us now.  I love this lil doll.

Harry and Hoot had a lot of fun too.

While Will is all about the food, Harry is all about the game.  He loves baseball.

Hoot liked dancing around.  He is a lot of fun!


I know he is out of focus.  He dances around too quickly for me to capture;)




One of the highlights of the night was when the sundae cart came to the suite.



Look at Libbie's eyes light up in the corner of the shot:)


Needless to say the kids (and a few of us grown-ups) really enjoyed the sundaes.





The employees at the sundae cart made it a point to tell me how polite and well mannered Will was.  What Mama does not like to hear that?  He has his Yes Sir and M'aam, pleases and thank you's down pat. (at least to other people;)

Harry cannot have ice cream, so we tracked him down this giant snowcone.



He was happy. And yes, his lip are blue.

Yesterday was apparently Jackie Robinson Day in MLB.  So all major league players on all teams wore #42 on their jerseys.


The funny thing is that Shelley and I did not even notice that until the last inning!  Think we talked more or watched the game?

After the game, we got to watch an amazing firework show at the ballpark.

According to Kate, "the only bad thing about the whole night was that the Astros lost."  She told us that this morning.  I was surprised she even noticed that it was a game let alone knew we lost. She fell asleep within 2 minutes once we got in the car. Kate had such a good time last night that she told Shelley she wished she were in their family (so she could go all the time and "because they are sweet to me") Ouch! Oh and Kate had a big time singing "deep in the heart of Texas" with quite a southern twang! Here we sing that right after take me out to the ball game at the 7th inning stretch!

THANK YOU Shelley and family!!!!

For those of you who are interested, I am finally posting all about our Disney trip last fall.  I have a bunch of posts ready and I will post one everyday.  Look below for the first one.

Farmer's Market in Photos

I chaperoned a trip with Kate's class to one of our farmer's market.  I really wanted to take photos but I had to make sure not to lose any pre-schoolers so it was hard:) I did get some neat shots though.  Unfortunately, when you make one of these mosaics...it dulls the color and resolution a bit.  The colors straight out of the camera were amazing.

In all honesty, Kate was bored at the FM and it shows in this photo:) She looked around, got her grapes and asked to go home.

This is Kate's best boy.  She has had a crush on him for a year now.  Seriously, we try to down play it but she speaks of love and marriage.  I posted Kate chatting with his Dad here. They held hands through most of the market which made my job (of not losing them) a bit easier.

Kate's two best buddies from school are boys.  They were so cute at the market. The teacher gave them all $1 to buy something and these three all bought the same thing.

Kate goofing around with her two best school buds.  It is funny because she is such a girly girl but she loves these two boys and hangs with them more than the girls in the class.  Maybe, it is because she has two brothers?

Have a great weekend.  I am off to Yoga!

quick update {and 4 years}

A couple of friends have e-mailed or called to check on me.  I am okay... I just have a lot going on here and a two day headache (feels like the beginnings of a sinus infection).  I am praying for all of you who are doing the Bible Study!  I have a couple of posts in my head and I will try to get them up here as soon as I feel better and caught up.  Happy weekend!

Oh and I just realized today is the 4 year anniversary (and 802 posts) of my blog!!! Thank you for all of the kindness over the years.  I would have never imagined when I began this four years ago that I would have made the friendships and connections that I have made.  Some of my closest friendship have grown out of this endeavor.  I still remember sitting in a chair in VA and Dave helping me come up with the name 3 peanuts:)

P.S.  the above photo is mine but I took it to celebrate my friend Shana...read below...

Imagine my utter JOY when I walked into Papyrus a few days before Christmas and saw one of my best friend's photography in a beautiful set of boxed notecards.  I immediately called her!!  I was SO excited and happy for her.  I am really proud of my friend, Shana.  She is talented, beautiful and has a heart of gold.  I used her Florabella action "afternoon" on this  photo. 

You can find her work here.  And the cards here and here.

Christmas Card Bloopers 2010 {Sunday Snapshot}

If you have not read the post below about our car accident, please do.  I feel very convicted to spread the word about the importance and superior safety of the five point harness system for children under the ages of at least 7-10.  Just because a child is legally able to ride in an adult restraint booster DOES NOT mean it is the safest option at all.


And thank you for all of your  prayers and sweet comments.  They mean the world to me.  I am having some post traumatic stress...no doubt.  I keep re-playing the scene in my head and I am jumpy and afraid to drive.  But my sweet Kate is doing well.  She has had two nightmares in a row this weekend but she is not acting afraid of being in the car at all.  And for those who were wondering, we are replacing her car seat with the Britax Froniter.  It is 5 point harness that she can use until she is 85 pounds.



I actually did not think we had many bloopers this year...until I took a good look at the photos.  We actually had tons.  They are not quite as funny as some in past years but they are bloopers nonetheless.

We shot these in the middle of the day on my birthday.  The sun was too direct and there was sunfalre on many of them but with all my kids activities and the busy fall we had...this was kind of my only window of opportunity.

"Yikes, how may of these pictures is she going to take?"



"I am NOT gonna smile."

"Oh, you want a smile...here's a smile for you, Mom!"

"Is this smile big enough for you, Mom?"

"I am WAY too cool for this family photo session stuff" (there is the flare)...these are all straight out of my camera.

Not sure what is with Will and Harry's facial expressions in these two!

There is that flare again!

Now this one is plain ridiculous!  No one is cooperating for me!

In this next series, Kate gets very silly....





She "might" get this tongue sticking out thing from her father????



I do believe she is kind of spitting at the photographer me.





I am not sure what this is all about but it looks like of preview of the teen years.



I think Will and I are falling asleep here.




And no one is paying attention in this shot!



Will and Harry are not looking too pleasant here.

Finally, Kate says.."I am just done with all of this!"

We actually had quite a few good ones that we did not use on our card.  I will post a few of those along with our card this week.






P.S. Several people have asked about Kate's dresses.  I posted the brand of the pink one a few days ago. The green one is by Lavender Blue.  I bought it a a local boutique and have not seen it anywhere on-line.  Similarly, I buy the big flower headbands at a little shoppe and they are made locally.  Sorry, I cannot be of more help.