Boys will be boys...

I love these boys so much!
Mommy wanted some new brother shots
& I just love taking pics of these guys.
It's one of the perks of being their Auntie.
Taiter was a trooper.
Roaster would have none of it.
He was really quite disgusted with us,
which is very abnormal, for him.
I know we didn't end up getting exactly what Mama
was hoping for, but I love 'em anyway!



































Is this not the most hysterical thing you've ever seen?
I think Mama was sporting the same look Taiter is.

Yummy Tummy

Does it get any yummier than this?






No way.

Amazing...

Camden,

Amazing…that’s what you are.

You have brought me more joy than I ever thought possible, yet you have the power to frustrate me beyond belief, in a mere instant. You melt my heart over and over again... every time you flash me that dimpled smile and say, "My love you, Mama," your little voice choked with emotion. You bring me to tears when you allow your stubbornness to overrule your desire to please. You make me laugh when you utterly refuse to try the slide because "that's CRAZY!" and I love that you think a rooster says, "talk-to-you!" You are a wonderful big brother, always protecting and nurturing, even if you do like to tease, just a little. I am so very proud when you treat everyone as if they're your best friend & when you greet everyone with excitement & genuine delight. I'm in awe of your pure heart and giving spirit. You are the reason I know I must be a better person and I strive every single day to be the mama you deserve, because you are the son I could never deserve.

And I love you so very much,

Mama

To crop or not?

I have to admit I'm pretty anal when it comes to cropping my photos. Crystal took the words right out of my mouth when she said one day that the art (& all the fun) is in the crop.
I firmly believe that a crop can make or break a photo.
I will not even edit photos for someone unless I know what size they will be printing them in.
I'm always telling everyone, "Make sure you order the size that corresponds with the size I include in the description of the photo!" It makes me shudder to think of the time wasted should someone mess this up! (:

Here's a glimpse of the process when I crop a photo...

This is the original.
Gwyneth has started posing just recently & this is one of my favs.
(along with her Shirly-Temple-dimple-pose, but I have yet to capture that one)




















I usually start with a basic crop. Here I just got rid of all the distractions in the background and "zoomed in" on her a bit.




















After seeing it this way I thought maybe it would be better with a tight crop to show off that adorable expression that I love so much...




















And I do love how I can see every detail...the pouty lips, chubby fingers, pink bows & curly piggies.
But the quality of the photo just isn't good enough to crop this tight. I was shooting at pretty high ISO and didn't nail my exposure, so I got a lot of grain...(which shows up even more after sharpening and resizing for web)Yuckers!

That's better!
I also love how the "ruts" in Mom & Dad's old road kinda frame her now.










I like how this shows off a little more of her dress.
An $80 Ralph Lauren that I scored on ebay, new with tags, for $.99-Oh ya!














And finally a couple artsy, tilted ones...




















I love to crop off the hems of dresses at an angle like
this. I just think it looks so girly and flirty!
(Plus, it's an easy way to get rid of that nasty scab on her knee!)




















Now I just need to choose a fav!
I'd love to hear your thoughts!

S'more...

Ooohh, now I'm hungry...

Don't they look like such sweet lil angels?
Doesn't this look like it was so much fun?
A nice leisurely stroll with my three little beauties
to capture the perfect, loving sibling shot.

Looks can be deceiving...
and in this instance they most certainly are!
I'll be forever grateful to 2 very dedicated
aunties for helping my get these shots of the
little monsters!

Here's to 30 minutes of pure torture,
for all who were involved.

And that's all I'm gonna say about that!

Happy Birthday Daddy!

We love you so much!

Mama's Sweet Girl

Like I said before, the boys have been driving their Mama batty by staying up several hours at naptime every day playing and being just plain naughty.

I think it's been a really good thing for Gwyneth though, because it's given us several hours together each day, just her and I. She really seems to thrive when she has me to herself, which makes me wonder if "quality time" isn't also her love language.

And, if I'm being completely truthful, I think it's been good for Mama, too. This girl has really put me through the ringer for the last year or so, and I am just now starting to really fall in love with her all over again.

I'm so proud of how hard she's been working to control that fiery spirit of hers. I know it's not easy, let me tell ya. And I love how much she needs to be by my side, every second. And how she mimics my every move..."reading" her book, a big novel, just like Mama's...rolling up her pant legs...examining her fingernails...typing with her fingers perfectly splayed across the keyboard, trying to be just like me. I love her twittering little voice & the way she's started chattering non-stop. And I even have to smile when she pushes her brothers back and shouts "my Mama!" (though, she does get in trouble, I assure you).

Now, we have plenty of time to play and practice "our" photography each day...

Cowgirl, Baby!

Gwyneth is in love. She has not parted with her "girl hat" (translation: "cow-girl hat." Again, something Camden must've told her) since it arrived in the mail 4 days ago. This girl definitely has an opinion about everything, and cares not one iota what anyone else happens to think.
Do you see how she's purposefully avoiding any and all eye contact?

Stinker.
Please excuse all those stray hairs. I must've brushed them out of her eyes 1000 times, but alas, even her hair has a mind of it's own.



I fully intend to re-shoot. This is just what I snuck in while she was playing at the kitchen faucet.






My goodness! This is so Aunt Heidi.

It's like stepping back in time...


For sure.

My little pot of gold...

You are the left to my right,
The sunshine to my rainbow.
You are the glitter to my gold,
And the Sunday of my week.

My Dad...

I love you!

Happy Father's Day!






























And my Grand-Dad
He treated us like his little princesses growing up.
Love you too, Papa!

Daddy

Our Daddy shows us God's love when he...


*plays hide-&-seek and tag with us...every day

*[almost] never raises his voice at us

*always gives us hugs when he comes home after work

*is never too tired to check on us when we need him in the middle of the night

*tickles us until we can't laugh any more

*makes sure we go to church every Sunday

*tells us he's proud of us

*disciplines us when we need it

*plays "wrestle mania" with us

*takes us outside with him while he's working on a project

*makes sure to tell Gwyn how pretty she is

*makes us the best popcorn...ever

*gives us piggy-back rides

*prays with us & tucks us in...every night

*loves our Mommy


Happy Father's Day, Daddy!

We love you, too!

Ornery little bugger...

Ornery. That’s what he is.

Stinkin ornery.

For the past 2.5 weeks Jude has decided to pay Mama & Daddy back for taking away his “Baba”.
He’s coping quite well with the separation as he’s decided to replace his beloved blanket with his father.

Daddy must now be the one he snuggles while watching a video.
Daddy has to be the one to check on him during the night when he throws himself into a screaming tirade.
Daddy is the one who must console him when he gets an ouchy.
Daddy is the one he screams for when he loses sight of him.
Daddy is the one he clings to when he’s feeling insecure.

Only, Daddy is at work for 10 hours…every day.
Daddy has music practice 2 evenings a week.
Daddy doesn’t sit with us at church.
And sometimes, Daddy needs a little breathing space.

So, who gets to enjoy the full gamut of Jude’s rage?

Mama.

Mama gets to greet him in the mornings when he looks at her with contempt and says, “Daddy!”
Mama gets to clutch his screaming, squirming little body when he's filled with fury because Daddy wasn’t there to comfort him when he fell.

Mama gets to hold him back, as he's kicking & screaming, and trying to run up on the stage with Daddy during church.
Mama gets to battle with him for 2 hours every day at nap as he defiantly throws every pillow, blanket & teddy bear off his bed. And gets up and plays with his brother. And makes sure to squeal and laugh and make a ruckus in order to keep his brother awake, too.

And grins when Mama opens the door.
And grins when Mama gets after him.
And grins when he wakes up his sister.
And grins. And grins.
And then starts again from the beginning.

Because, after all, who could stay angry at such an ornery thing when he's so stinkin cute, too?

He soooo knows.

Silly ol' me...

10 quirky or little known facts about myself:

1. I don't like ice-cream. I can pass it up any day, any time. Probably because I'm always too cold to eat it.

2. I love the rain, almost more than the sunshine.
(Just not on my wedding day!)
It comforts and relaxes me. I could never get enough of the sound it makes on a metal roof.

3. When trying to fall asleep I repeatedly crack the toes on my right foot. (Gross, I know)
The weirdest part? Tess does the exact same thing! We only just discovered it last year when she was staying with me while Lyle was away on business.

4. I hate competition, of any kind. It makes me feel strange for some reason.
(Except when I beat Lyle at Phase 10. That feels pretty good!)

5. I love, love, LOVE being pregnant! If I had the choice I would stay pregnant for the rest of my life! (only 1 baby at a time, please.) I feel completely empty without a little life moving around inside of me.

6. I can NOT sleep on my left side. My stomach gurgles and churns and I get seriously ill. I also can't sleep if there's any kind of light on. It has to be pitch black or I toss and turn all night. I think it's because I sleep with my eyes open.

7. I don't like the color purple.

8. I loathe being the center of attention and will do almost anything to avoid it!

9. My "love language" is quality time, followed by a close second, physical touch. (as in hugs, kisses, holding hands, etc.)

10. I love the words, adore, intrigue, blossom & passion.

Okay, I tag Heidi! (Mostly because I know she'll follow through and not make me look like an idiot!) Now you have to tell us 10 quirky or little known facts about yourself!

"Doo-aw Pa-pooh, Mama?"

This little girl loves to draw. It comes very naturally to her and it always has. From the time she was itty-bitty she could hold the pen in perfect form and she can already command whatever her little heart desires to appear on the page. (Keeping in mind, of course, that she still has a very limited "2 year old" heart.)

She begs me at some point every day, "Doo-aw, pa-pooh, Mama?"

While at Grami's the other day we were practicing her name together,

"G W Y N E T H spells Gwyneth," I told her.

She looked at her work proudly and then stated, "B, Beck!" and proceeded to draw little B's all over her paper...completely un-aided! I had no idea she even knew what a B is, or even what her last name is, for that matter. I guess Camden has been teaching her a thing or two when Mama isn't lookin.

Anyway, this is one proud Mama here. She just turned 2, people!