Happy Vacation!

Sorry, no picture today...I am off living, enjoying a mini vacation with no proofing, no computer time, and no ordering. This is important. Because when I'm rested, better stuff comes out of me.

And I'm working still on my life mission statement. There's a kick-start mission statement builder at Franklin Covey...it promps you in ways that help you figure out what's important to you. I was surprised how many times JOY and BEAUTY and seeking out God came out in my kickstart. It's very easy for me to try to put down the "right" answer on these types of things, but it only gives you 10 seconds to answer, so I just went with the first things that came to my head.

Happy Saturday everyone. Blessings and love!...

just a few thoughts

I'm not sure why this occurred to me tonight, but in less than 2 months, I will be 37. I'm not upset at the age. I'm okay with my wrinkles. I have liked my thirties. I feel good in my skin.

It's my twenties that I whittled away, and that disturbs me greatly. I was married, living the life (albeit a poor life) in la la land, working, playing, painting...and dealing with some major fears. I didn't cherish every moment or make the most (or even part) of the opportunities that came my way.

I don't spend much time thinking about regrets...but this one thing freaks me out...

If I'm not careful, it could happen again.

I don't want to look back and say that I missed my life, my kid's lives, my friend's lives. I never want to be too busy to have a latte with someone, make a new connection, open up to being inspired by something random. And truthfully, being on the right medication has helped this tremendously. But still, I don't want to waste this life...this vivid, colorful, painful, gritty, and joyful life.

I've been thinking about working on a life mission statement. It's been coming up a lot, and I think it might be time to make sure that I am living with purpose.

Anyway, this is what I'm thinking about.

So, tomorrow I will make a gingerbread house with the kids, I will turn off the TV, I will engage, make eye contact, breathe.

If you stop by and actually get through this long post, I'd love to hear ways that you engage with life. :)

Have backdrop...will travel.

This morning, I got to do some head shots. Quick. In and out. Very professional.

But strange...I always feel like I know clients better after a shoot...this was almost too quick for me. I wanted to sit down and find out who these people were. :) I'm a chatty person and I like getting to know people. ESPECIALLY before I stick a camera in your face! lol!

Anyway, I was sitting here doing some VERY PROFESSIONAL proofing and got a little antsy...so here is a collage of some of the pics from this morning. A weird sneak peek...but it helped break things up for me.

Mommy Confession

I put a small Fuji apple in my daughter's lunch everyday...not because I want her to be healthy (cuz I know she won't eat it), but so that if another parent sees her lunch, I will look like a better mom.

the hormonal rollercoaster...

No, I'm not talking about myself (though books could be written!)...today I am thinking about our son. He is eleven...a tough age for sure. One minute he is hyper and spazzy and goofy...the next minute he's a grouchy bear-of-a-boy and ready to chew your head off if you get too close.
That was our morning today...
I feel far away from him. I don't know when to pay attention to his feelings and when to say "enough". I don't know how to connect with him, how to make him smile, how to make him feel good about who he is. Honestly.
When he was a toddler, he threw some monstrous tantrums...and it brought me to my knees as a parent...asking God what to do, how to handle myself, what to say. I am there again. On my knees, because I would do anything for this boy-about-to-be-a-man.
If you are of the praying sort of person, I would appreciate you sending some up for me. Also, for my husband and his side of the family...we found out late last night that his aunt died unexpectedly.
Do you ever wake up and feel like you can taste the pain in the world? Sorry if this is a total downer. Maybe I need a gingerbread latte.

I was about to turn in, but had to show these two pictures that I just proofed. I just can't get enough of her eyes!
Today was a stay-at-home-snow day for me, my husband, and the kids. The kiddos actually did a snow DANCE last night in desperation for their first snow day this school year. And it worked! :) I like stay at home days...when there is NO option to go out and run errands, I just feel more peaceful and content. I like our house, our family, our life. I even like our laundry. We almost had a run-out-of-milk catastrophe, but we are all okay. :)
I'm hitting the hay now, with dirty dishes in the sink, clothes in the washer and dryer, with presents yet to be bought, and cookies yet to be made...and it's ALL okay. Feelin' peaceful. Thank you Snow.

snowy day sneak peek...

It was a winter wonderland today...snowy and cold and calm. Love that! (except for sliding all the way down the hill in my car!) Today's shoot was with a family that instantly made me feel at home and didn't even blink when I asked them for a tour of their beautiful home. And I FREAK out over details...and this house was full of amazing ones! I tried to play it cool, but that never really works out for me. lol!


Perfect christmas card picture...

Picture that melts my heart...there's so much love in this family!


This little girl has a million different expressions!

Thanks so much for letting me hang out with you! Enjoy your sneak peek and the snow. :)

It's been a few days since I last blogged...I hate missing days....and worse than that, having no pictures to show for my absense! The horror.

I received a bunch of picture orders yesterday, so if you are one of my many clients waiting to hear from me, I will be calling this afternoon, bearing tidings of great joy. I have a shoot at 11am. Wish me luck driving on snow covered ice...yikes. And I'm PROOFING and designing more Christmas cards.

Off to make cinnamon rolls for the kidlets...I will post a sneak peek from today's shoot later. Let's deck some pickin' halls today! :)

Yesterday was a day of blessings!...

Gifts galore! I was going to take pictures, but that would take more time than I have today.

First, my friend Traci called me up and told me she was bringing over Christmas Cheer...I'm sorry, but there is nothing happier than someone bringing over Christmas Cheer...I don't even care what that "cheer" might be. That is completely dreamy. And it WAS...yummy Double Chocolate Shake Lip Balm being held by the softest bear ornament.


Second, my friend Alison sent me a care package from CA...filled with TRADER JOES gingerbread and pumpkin baking mixes (trader joes is the only thing missing from Colorado...if you are reading this and have any influence in this wonderful store, PLEASE tell them that us Colorodoans are wilting from their absense), soft soft soft socks, and a gift card to Yankee Candle where I will get the yummiest candle ever invented...the PUMPKIN PIE candle.

I got lights up on our house without falling off the ladder, got collages done, calls made, bills paid, dinner on the table (okay, it was just chicken nuggets, but that counts right?), and watched the Real Housewives of Orange County (yes, I've been sucked in).

All in all, it was a good day. A many blessings kind of day. And I am so thankful. It's 9am now and I am going to PROOF a session, listen to my favorite Amy Grant Christmas Album from 1983, and drink my chocolate-mint flavored coffee, while my lips smell like a chocolate shake. Yay for that. Off I go!

happy monday

I woke up today with the feeling like I am really gonna get some stuff done. I'm peppy and feeling good, which is nice because I was a little bummed yesterday. I received news that I did NOT get chosen for a free ride to an awesome seminar by a famous photographer. The person that DID get chosen seems like a very well deserving person, and I am happy for her. Really. But it took me a while to get out of my funk. Thank you Sandi for the coffee and talk and that's just what I needed. So thank you. :)

Today, here's what's on deck...
*Listening to the Charlie Brown Christmas CD...the best CD EVER and if you don't own it, stop everything and get it. NOW. It will make you smile.
*PROOFING
*Placing orders
*Calling people that still want shoots
*Waiting for the garage door man, cuz some GINORMOUS spring broke
*and I might even get our Christmas lights on the outside of our house...we are the LAST people on our court to get it done. sheesh.
*and then it's time to get the kids, help with homework, do some laundry, make dinner, watch "Heros", and BREATHE.

Happy Monday everyone. Leave some love if you stop by. :)

Sneak Peek of the coldest session on earth...

Oh my gosh, yesterday afternoon's session was COLD. Wow. But we had good light and no snow, so we were good to go. :)
First, their property was amazing and the dad is a master wood artisan...seriously the coolest stuff. I could've spent hours just taking pictures of his work. Very cool.

I especially liked this little guy...

So much love in this family.


I love wood piles!



I hope you guys have warmed up. Thanks for hanging in there with me.