You are a Gift.

 This baby is a gift, just like we all are.

 I am trying to remind myself that we all are, we are still special gifts.

 When we first arrive here, we arrive in a small package with smooth skin and inquisitive eyes. We can make people feel whole with just a curl of our lips, with just our smile.  

Our shape changes, our minds form, and our beliefs about ourselves leave us to easily forget how we touch each other lives. How we can make each other feel whole just by loving them. 

LOVE me. 

All we are saying the same thing:

Take time for me.

Lay with me until I fall asleep. You make me feel safe.

Spend time trying to make me smile. Then you will know what makes me happy.

Show me that you care about my body, treasure each part.

kiss me a lot.

Tell people how wonderful I am.

LOVE me... I am still a gift.

Far Behind

I am far behind on editing, posting and updates. At least I have a good reason. Actually 2 good reasons...

Small Treasures

I have red and green apples set in a large dark red ceramic bowl on my patio. My kids count them, admire them,  think about how to make candy apples with them, ask about fall time, and create patterns. All with a bowl of apples.  

Mother to Be

If I could express how much is coming in the years to come, I may try to tell you all about being a Mother.

 I suppose that is why God made the experience so unexplainable. It is not just joy or just exhaustion, not just learning how nurture or how to hold your patience. It is a transformation of your very self.

Some days you feel like you are glowing in the very light of God. Somedays you want to curl up, well anywhere, and see if you can find yourself, any part of you you used to know. 

But the truth is you are no longer there, the way you used to be. You have transformed into this all encompassing word "Mother".

It is never the same: precious and sorrowful, beautiful and all encompassing. 

Welcome Baby and welcome Mother, it is a birth to you both.

Fall & Holiday Sessions

Happy Fall Time! This time of year comes so fast. I appreciate all of you asking about the mini sessions. It is seems each year gets busier for family sessions and I am so thankful for that. I am limited on weekends, so if you can do a weekday I have left the mini session rate at $75. I only have one Sat. listed for mini sessions and the cost is $100 and will of course be first book first serve. If you do want to schedule a normal session for family, baby, holiday, or any other photos please email as normal and we will book that as normal. Thank you again. I hope all of you are doing well and enjoying the start of Fall!

Story Time

This post goes out to help our library.

         My two little ones and I go to the library at least every other day. When we started my Son went right to the train table and when that was done, would say "Mommy, are you done yet?" Now, about 4 or 5 months later, as I look through the children's stories, he picks books with me. When other children are playing he would rather me read to him. He picks up books and reads to his sister. He asks questions, he predicts what will happen, he has even learned how to tell his own stories. My beautiful 19 month old little girl is still learning. She picks up a book here and there, but I know she loves going with us.

        Our library, East Lake Library, is trying to expand and is accepting donations. I know most of you don't live in East Lake, but I think it is a message to all of us. Although you can get everything and anything on the internet, there is nothing like a community library, with hundreds of actual pages and events. I must admit I read more now then I ever did, partly due to the fact that we go. I believe with all of my heart that children need books and good conversation with our local friends. 

My Space

In honor of an inspiring source I just found, Where Women Create,  I photographed my space. I hope to have it grow into a space of peace, organized and focused projects, and one day be a place that goes beyond me to inspire others, as these women did for me.

Welcome to a Beautiful Family

Welcome sweet baby Evie, to a loving and beautiful family. I posted awhile back when my good friend had two munchkins, but now they have had the third little angel. I visited them at their home Saturday, they are adjusting to her and life with three.  Raising children is not for the weak.  It is for the strong, brave, and loyal. Evie has wonderful parents.

Gavin's 4th Birthday

     We had a Batman/jellybean party. He invited his best buddy, we had a pinata (his first experience with a pinata). I must admit I thought with all of his energy he would be very drawn to the idea of hitting Batman with a stick until he broke open and prizes gushed out. I guess just as everything else in childhood, when told to do it, it is not nearly as enjoyable.

      It is extremely difficult to be Mom, party planner, baker, photographer, etc, etc and also enjoy watching my baby turn 4. So I did the best I could to capture it. I must have looked a bit like a crazy woman, a Nikon D3 on one shoulder, a video bloggie  (my new hand held video camera with HD video) in one hand, the cake knife in the other hand. All while trying to soak in his face as he experienced it all.

My very creative & sweet friend made Gavin this shirt. We chose this fabric ( the dinosaurs) 

to be one side of the super hero cape she made him. She used the extra fabric to surprise us. What would life be without friends? They are

like super heros. 

Gavin and I actually made his cake together the night before. It is pink under ALL

of that frosting. My first attempt at a double decker cake. It was pretty good.

His best friend.

His wish...

His first try at it..

Can I tell you how much we love this little man.

Smile

You make me smile like the sun, fall out of bed

Sing like a bird, dizzy in my head

Spin like a record, crazy on a Sunday night.

Just the thought of you can drive me wild

Oh you make me smile..

Uncle Kracker

New Logo

Hi my wonderful readers! I just posted a session (below) of a newborn baby boy. The photos have my new logo on them. Any opinions?

Sweet Newborn

Sweet Baby Drew, 3 weeks old, with his beautiful Mother and Sister. Welcome to the world beautiful baby boy!