Sleeping Beauty

Baby H is a gem...

a gorgeous, sleepy gem.

All on her own, she showed three of her delicate fingers.  Smart girl already knows where she falls in line in the birth order of her family. 

She also knows when enough is enough. 

Strong girl sent quite the message when she lifted and turned her little head away. 

A true sleeping beauty.

Happy Thanksgiving

from a bunch of turkeys.

E's Prayer Request

E had an additional bedtime prayer request tonight...

E:  My sister, Larry, is in the hospital with a fever in her throat.  She'll be there for six weeks.  Please pray for her.

Steve:  Your sister's name is Larry?

E:  Yep, Larry.

Steve:  Do you have any other sisters?

E:  Ya, one.  Her name is Terri.  She's sick too, but she's not in the hospital.

Love is in the Air

I have no first-hand experience with engagement photos (either as the photographer or the subject), so I was naturally a little unsure of how to go about doing things. 

I had no need to worry though. 

These love birds plus a few fantastic locations made for a really lovely experience.

J & A, thanks for putting your engagement photography faith in a rookie. 

I had a wonderful time getting to know you both better.

Wishing you the absolute best!

Seriously, Who is her mother?

Several years ago and before my own children were capable of dressing themselves, I read a suggestion in a parenting magazine.  At the time, I thought the idea of having an "I dressed myself" pin was so darn clever. 

Now I know that some things just don't require an explanation.

Together

Love, love, love these two!

Her Turn

Having to contend with the whipping wind and a three-year-old attitude,

I never did get "the shot" of E that I was hoping for. 

Perfect shot or not, she's still a beauty in my book.

Five Years and Almost Nine Months

That's how long J made it without saying a naughty word in our presence.

Quite honestly, our kids haven't regularly been exposed to inappropriate language.  I thank God frequently for giving me the ability to keep the language G rated (ok, sometimes PG) around my children.  Interestingly, around certain friends and office mates and after 9:oo pm when the kids are in bed, my vocabulary seems to revert back to that of my pre-offspring days.  Feel free to shed some light on that phenomenom. 

Anyway, back to J's first real naughty word...

I'm not talking naughty enough to make a mom s@#t her pants or anything, but naughty enough to earn himself a d$mn time out and a talk with daddy and mommy about using appropriate language. 

Despite what we heard, he still consistently and adamantly claims that he said, "What the helk is that smell?" 

Part of our little discussion...

Me:  If you ever want to know what a word means or if it's appropriate to say, you will never get in trouble if you ask me.

J:  Ok.

Me:  Are there any other words that you want to ask about?

J:  No....well, maybe.   What inappropriate words do you want to talk about?  I don't know any more.

He's always looking for learning opportunities.  Always.

Options

The school picture order form had options.  I'm talking real options...

blemish touch-ups, borders, backgrounds, names, years...

yep, all the bells and whistles. 

No more standard blue background with the only choice being the quantity of pictures you can purchase. 

 No sir, we had options.

With all of those options, can you believe that we opted out?

Figuring that we can create our own options, we set out to take our own kindergarten pictures. 

I apparently offer a good bored option. 

 

 

Don't tell anyone, but I also do offer crabby, frustrated, and impatient options with kindergarten pictures as well.  Whew!  Doesn't look like anyone was around to hear me admit that one. 

As my intensity increased,

I'm sure J wanted to give me his ninja-chop option right across my noggin for my ghastly attitude,

but he wisely chose the just-look-at-me-and-smile option that I gave him.

These might not be the traditional and classic school pictures,

 but I think we still have some viable options. 

 Now, to choose one and have it printed and hung on the wall and distributed to grandparents by the end of the school year...

I need some help!

Which option do you choose?