1-1-11

here it is. 1.1.11. a new beginning. a fresh start. a clean slate. i am totally and utterly optomistic about this new day, new year and all that i plan to accomplish during the next 365. i am not going to list out all of my goals and aspirations, just one. one that i know will lead to all the rest happening in a big way.

i will take care of myself. make sure i do the things i need to do to keep me healthy and happy; mind, body, and soul. i am going live this life fully and comletely for the ones that i adore, little and big.

in doing this, i know everything else will work itself out.

happy new day.

xoxo,

a

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visions of sugarplums

the annual santa photo...no tears this year. amazing how much can change in 365 days. last year ava didn't even want to sit with bo dressed up like santa, let alone some stranger in a red suite at the mall. this year she couldn't climb up on his lap fast enough and rattle off all of her wishes and dreams! and then hollis...no tears, but was a little hesitant. thinking he only did it because sister was all for it. he wants to do everything and anything she does, including carry a purse and accessorize with all sorts of fancy jewelry. {he even wanted me to paint his nails this morning when i was painting avas....no, i didn't...bo would have died!!!}

we are celebrating christmas eve at our house tonight since bo has to work on christmas day. of course we have all been passing around some stomach bug and it was daddy's turn today. poor guy. hopefully he will feel better in the morning. the kids and i watched polar express together and it was so much fun getting ava ready for bed tonight talking about santa coming. she wore her special santa pj's and left the big guy some oreos {bad mommy...didn't get around to baking cookies today...} and a few pieces of lucky charms, they are her favorite little treat lately, so i guess she figured santa would appreciate some. we read a few favorite christmas stories and then she went to sleep faster than ever before...maybe it had something to do with me telling her she had to fall asleep for santa to come :) . looking forward to the morning, seeing that christmas magic that children bring to the holiday. the kids are in for a few special surprises ;) should be fun! i hope you have a merry christmas. take the time to soak up all the love from your near and dear ones. i love christmas. now off to watch a little christmas vacation and set up worlds largest interactive train set!
**update on the trainset...bo ended up putting it together...too complicated for my level of patience tonight! so thankful for a wonderful husband...even sick, he still will do anything for his babies! love him so much.

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winding down...

{another favorite from a recent newborn session. isn't she beautiful?!}
so things are winding down, christmas is quickly approaching followed by my husbands birthday followed by the beginning of another new year. i love new beginnings. a fresh start. there are so many things i want to accomplish this upcoming year and things i want to change in my life...for the better of course. each year as the december days are coming to an end and january 1st is around the corner, i can't help but feel hope for things to come. that each year is going to somehow be more amazing than the last! i can't wait to see what 2011 brings our family and our lives!

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"Hold My Hand"

the past couple weeks i've been obsessed with the show "the sing off"...again! i love music, everything about it. right now i am loving this song. loving these boys. they make me happy.
i am so passionate about music...little secret...i really think i should have been a singer...yep, you heard me :) at least my girl likes listening to me sing....she can be my forever audience and occasional duet partner...when she feels like sharing the spotlight!

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new

i was planning on taking a break in december,no sessions, just to take some time to enjoy the kids and bo....turned out to be my busiest month yet, shooting almost every weekend and even some weekdays enbetween! but when i get to spend an afternoon with a sweet newborn, snuggling and taking pretty pictures, well, i just coudln't ask for a better day!

i have to say that newborn sessions are my absolute favorite! i have two scheduled for january and can't wait!

i was hoping to take a few of my two this afternoon for christmas cards..yes, i've been so busy that we haven't even shot our christmas card photo, but not sure if that's going to happen...it is a bit chilly and i woke up with my tummy feeling a bit funny. we'll see, i have some fun ideas swirling around in my head!

maybe i'll come back later and post a few if it actually happens!

xo,

a

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soulographer...

{from a recent session with a beautiful family}

check out the huge giveaway and sale at the soulographer blog for photographers!

& yes...i would totally love to win something fun for myself this holiday season! :)

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girls got moves...

so when i say my girl's got moves...i'm not kidding! check her out in all her tap shoe glory!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOEllGKcsik {a link if you want to watch it bigger...not sure why it uploaded so tiny...}

i thought it was so cute i had to giggle...well, now she is a little more shy when she's dancing...darn it! have to remember to hold in the giggles next time!

gots to love the hip wiggle!

xoxo

a

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tiny dancer

so we had our first ballet/tap experinece yesterday! ava was the only new little girl in the class for the new session. but she totally didn't care, immediatly she was referring to all the girls in her class as "her friends". she is so social, it's crazy. i am a little bit of shy, so it's funny to me to see her be so extroverted! unless there is a good looking man around...then she gets REALLY shy! lol! i think i'm in trouble! class lasted about an hour and i peeked in a bit early and they were tap tap tapping and she was just running around like a crazy person! the girls from the last session are getting ready for a recital so they were practicing their routine and then there was ava, right in the middle, doing lord knows what....it was funny. if i were the teacher i probobly would have had her sit down so the girls could practice without her, but then, i thought, how sweet, they are three and the instructor just seems a bit laid back. i know if she wanted her to sit down, she would have told her. but little miss was having a blast and loved every minute of her class!

sass.a.frass...somebody thinks they are hot stuff!

things i learned from our first ballet/tap class:

• my child has absolutely NO seperation anxiety. as girls were crying for their moms ava was telling me "bye, mom" and giving me the look like, "get out of here, lady and let me do my thing!"
• white tights are definitely not for three year old girls. at least not mine!
• tights in general my not be for my girl...after an hour she had holes in the knees. definitely won't be getting a second wear out of those...this could get expensive...
• tap shoes, they open up a whole new world for a little girl! seriously, she was most excited about the ballet shoes at first, but once she heard the magic of the taps...they weren't coming off those happy feet!
• prepare to enter the world of "moms". yep, it's funny to be a mom and be in that world after watching moms for years when i was teaching. yesterday was my first real experience entering the world of mom cliques and groups. and like i said, i'm a bit of shy so navigating this world is going to be a challenge for me. making friends always has been. {even though my husband will tell you differently, he thinks i can make friends with anybody i am put in a room with. crazy man!}

yep, so that's that. first day of dance down & a success! yay!

xo,

a

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being thankful...

{ ava's handprint turkeys before i added the beak, feet, & of course, the gobble!}

so much to be thankful for. today. and every day.

a husband that loves me no matter what.


children that light up my world and have taught me more about love and life than i ever could have imagined.

family. all my wonderful family. step's, in laws, blood, friends that are more like family. i am blessed beyond belief to have been given the amazing family in my life.

a life that is more wonderful than i ever could have hoped for.

thankful for you.

xo,
a

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yellow.

i have been so lucky lately and been getting some regular photography work! yay! i absolutely love meeting sweet families, playing with the kids, and then delivering some work that i am really proud of! i have actually had a lot of old friends contact me for photos and that is even more fun! i get to see people i haven't seen in years and meet their husbands, children, and catch up! it means so much to me that so many people from my past are supporting me in this venture! a few weeks ago i found this amazing log with a bunch of wild yellow flowers at each end, all under a big, gorgeous tree! needless to say, it has become a favorite spot and i am trying to soak it up before we get a freeze and those yellow flowers dissapear!

isn't this little one adorable?! she was just the sweetest!

have a happy sunday!

xo,

a

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tangled.

yes. tomorrow morning i get to take my girl on a special big girl date to go see a screening of Tangled! i think i am more excited than she is {and she is pretty darn excited!}. it has been really clear to me lately that i need to start carving out some special time for just her and i to spend together. hopefully this will be the first of many mommy daughter outings where we get to just enjoy each others company! {grans and felix are joining us as well, which will be extra special!} hollis is going to be spending the morning with our good friend kristi. she is taking him to a basketball game where i'm sure he will be in hog heaven and spoiled by everyone! it's going to be a great day, i just know it!

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dancing queen

{Andrew Atroshenko Ballerina Painting}

exciting news! we got ava all signed up for ballet/tap and a gymnastics class at the recreation center up the street from us. i had no clue they even offered classes and turns out they offer a bunch of really great classes for kids and even adults! {i'm talkin zumba, weight training, art, guitar lessons! wowza!} ava is so ready for something like this. she really loves being with other kids and it will be good for her to have to learn the social skills for being with others in a big group...she does great with a few kids, but this class has 15ish little ones. so the world will definitely not revolve around her for at least 45 minutes a week. I am so happy i discovered this little jewel and can't wait to get ava in her little dancing queen outfit!!! it's gonna be cute, ya'll!

xo,

a

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days

not sure if i'll ever become a regular blogger...it seems it's always that one thing that gets pushed to the backburner for other things. however, i have to share how much these two are changing every day before my very eyes. it's like magic.

he is everywhere...into everything...all.the.time.
he knows he is extra cute when he scrunches up his nose like this. it's my favorite. notice the black eye...the first of many, i'm sure.

and this little one. we have had a few rough days. it seems that three is the new thirteen. seriously, drama, drama, drama, whine, whine, whine. but i love her and she is my heart.

i have been dealing with a lot of anxiety lately when the kids aren't with me. i just have this uneasy feeling. like somethings going to happen. i don't know. anything could happen anytime, but my anxiety really seems to creep in when they are away from me. {i think i watch too much t.v....opening my mind to all these thoughts and scnearios} almost suffocating me, really. i am not an overprotective parent, yes, protective, but i have always allowed them to go with grandparents and cousins. not sure what it is right now, but that fear is in me.

there is some quote, i can't remember who said it, but it goes something like, when you have a child it is like your heart is walking around outside your body. it is so true.
every day when i see these two, they are like, little extensions of myself. the best parts of me. i am so proud to be their mama and love them to a million sweet, sparkly pieces.

xo,

a

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another giveaway...

Win a fab giveaway from Paint The Moon on www.moms-with-cameras.com! seriously love this new action set annie came out with. would love to win it! enter away!

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what to wear?!

i wrote a post for RMRV about what to wear for family photos! check it out if you have a second!
tata for now!
xo,
a

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aahhhh. love.

love, sweet love.

i second shot a wedding last weekend and it was the most amazingly sweet couple with the most beautiful love. you could feel it through the whole day.

aren't they gorgeous?! {and her mama made her dress! wowza! isn't that awesome!?!} they had such a beautiful and unique wedding. everyone in their wedding party was so sweet and wonderful. everyone was just so happy and loved them so much. a perfectly perfect day.

i have been keeping busy. the kids, the husband, the house, the house, the house...seriously working to get uber organized! i have always dreamed of being one of those really organized people. i always feel so good when things are in order and in their place...but it never takes long for things to start falling apart. i am determined to turn over a new leaf! the organized, together amanda coming soon! i might even take pictures of my accomplishments to share! i know ya'll would totally love that, right!?
xo,
a

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happy haunting!

This weekend was so much fun! i have always loved halloween and it is getting to be even more fun now that we have kids to enjoy it with! we spend the evening tonight with the cousins in their neighborhood and had a ball! auntie christina always makes the best halloween dinner for us and then we always have the nicest little walk around their neighborhood with the kids trick or treating. the weekend was so busy, lots to post on! saturday we went out to mimi and poppy's in granbury and trick or treated in their community! fun photos to come from that night! i hope you all had a wonderful halloween! trick or treat!

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time...

these girls are so gorgeous. i used to teach with their mom and dad. i met their daughter when she was probobly 1. now she is 5, in kindergarten, the big sister. they are the sweetest family and it was so fun to catch up with them a bit while capturing their little beauties! there is never enough time.

“Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of other's opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”
i know i have posted this quote from steve jobs before on my blog, but i just keep coming back to it.
time is so precious and lately i have been having such a struggle with the right ways to be spending my time. the things i need to be doing along with the things i want to do and dream to be doing. time passes so quickly and there is never enough of it. each day my list grows longer, it just never feels like i'll get all those pesky "to do's" checked off.

i hope to be a better blogger. that is on my list. :)

i want to spend more quality time with my children. yes i am with them all day long. no, not every moment is quality. i want it to be. playing, teaching, snuggling.

i want to spend more time with photography. learning and discovering. playing. i want to go to a workshop and spend a weekend with people that have the same passion as me.

my husband. my sweet husband. i want to feel like "us". we need to make "us" more of a priority. we need our time. to talk, to stare at each other, to hold each other's hand, to just be.

that's all i have for now. life's been a whirlwind lately. waiting for the calm.

xo,

a

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another...

have to share another awesome giveaway! check this out! http://zozobugbaby.blogspot.com/2010/10/giveaway-extravaganza-and-photo-contest.html
if you have an interest in fashion or photography, you won't be dissapointed!
xo,
amanda

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paint the moon

a pretty picture from a recent session and then an incredible giveaway!
a few months ago i stumbled onto the most gorgeous photoshop actions ever! seriously! since discovering Paint the Moon, i have learned that the creative mastermind behind them is a kind hearted, incredibly talented mama! i have a few sets and am drooling over more! Anyway, she is hosting the most incredible photography related giveaway on her blog & you must check it out and enter! it's worth every entry, promise! so run over and enter!
sorry for the lack of posts lately...busy, busy around here...i'll try and update with fun stories of visitors from minnesota, photography sessions, etc soon! thanks for hanging around!
a

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CSN Stores...gotta love it!

Have you visited CSN stores.com yet? With over 200 online stores, you can find everything from barstools, to Koolaburra boots {which i know i have drooled over before on my blog}, to Melissa & Doug toys for the kids! Such a giant selection, you are sure to find just what you are looking for!

Ava's Christmas list grows longer and longer every day. She is constantly finding new and wonderful items to add to it and always saying "maybe santa can help me get that." So cute! One thing that doesn't change is she has her heart set on a horse truck and trailer for Christmas. I have seen a few out and about, but I'm thinking we found "the one" we are looking for at CSNstores.com! so cute, right?! perfect for our little cowgirl! I think this will light her up on Christmas morning!

CSNstores.com is the perfect one stop holiday shop for Christmas shopping! Online, everything at one place...doesn't get much more simple than that! you must check them out, you won't be dissapointed!

xo,

a

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LOVE your shot - link up

i just took this photo of my girl tonight. it is one of my faves, mainly because of her, that buggy, and the gorgeous sun! wish i could have shot about 30 minutes later as the sun had dropped even further and it was some amazing light...but alas, the kiddos had it by then, there was no hope for any more photos. next time :)

when i processed this photo i used a few different actions from Eye Candy {sheye rosemeyer} & Paint the Moon. those are usually my go-to sets! i also did a little baby crop, not too much...just wish i had made her a bit more off center mabye to the right a bit.

i was shooting with my canon 50D and my 24-70 2.8. gotta love that combo :)

fingers crossed i can get my hands on some florabella!!

xo,

a

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wowza...

so life has been full of craziness the past few weeks...maybe i've been biting off a bit more than i can chew. soooo, sadly, the blog has been suffering. just had to hop on and tell you about a fab giveaway at the maternal lens! a mentoring session i would LOVE to win! fortune would definitely be smiling on me! had to share!

had to leave you with a shot of this girlie in her new fall hat! {now we're just waiting for some fallish type weather to roll in!}

go enter, ya'll!

xo,

a

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treasures...

i am so lucky to be the mother of these two....

and that's all i have to say today...

xo,

mama

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heaven...

i'm pretty sure this is my girl's idea of heaven.

and she looks like an angel!

it is awesome seeing how fearless this girl is and huge a place animals hold in her heart. {especially horses...but aren't all little girl's that way? }

maybe one day we'll have a horse of our own?? you never know!

xo,

a

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walk the walk

so, the boy has been taking steps for weeks now...something else i am in total and utter denial about. but the more steps he takes the harder it is for me to pretend it's not actually happening! he can pretty much cross the room on a good pass, mostly it's 5-10 steps and he's down. but i mean seriously, is there anything cuter than this little monkey walk?! is there?! oh how i just love him & he is just so proud of himself and his latest accomplishment!

love you baby! always walk the walk!

xo,

mama

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my so called life...

do you remember this show? it aired in the 90's...i think i was 15ish. after watching the emmy's the other night and seeing claire danes receive an emmy for a recent performance, i HAD to go to youtube and find these videos. i stayed up late...i mean, really, really late {or early} watching episode after episode. i remember watching this show, waiting for it every week, sitting on the edge of my seat wondering what would happen next. i remember how it seemed so real, so much like my reality. even after all this time, after all this growing up, it remains the same to me. an incredible show that should have aired so many more seasons....love it.

xo,

a

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tea for two

we finally got to have our tea party to celebrate the "original superprincess"...you can read about her here. it was a cloudy afternooon, but we went for it anyway, busting out our family quilt, teacups, apple juice and pink marshmallows! oh yeah, and don't forget bunny! {hollis' bunny} ava loved it and i'm so glad we stopped and took the time to have a special tea party with each other. it started raining at the end, and ava just laid on the quilt and felt the rain. she is my sweetheart.

tragedy always seems to wake you up, your world becomes crystal clear. your priorities slap you in the face and you remember why you are living and who you are living for.

superprincess, you are not gone from this earth. your memory, your smile, your spirit live on in all the lives you have touched.

i learned ava's story a few years back. i was up late blog surfing and randomly googled "ava". my ava was a few months old. i stumbled upon sheye's blog. i was immediately struck by her beautiful photos and ava's story. she is and will probobly always be my favorite photographer/blogger. you feel her soul in her words and photography. sheye was my first mentor. i took her very first round of photography workshops {little did i know how much this workshop would impact my life, gaining knowledge as well as a group of girlfriends i have grown so close to over the past few years, but never met in "real life".} this blogosphere is a truly amazing thing. you watch children grow up, feel close to those you have never met. cry with their heartbreaks and celebrate their miracles. i have been so thankful for this space the past few years and the people i have met through it.

xo

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my boy

yes, hollis did turn one & he did have a little family party. & yes...i am still in denial that this event actually took place. it is so amazing to watch him grow up, but so hard for me at the same time. he is my last. this is the last first birthday, the last first steps. as much as i know to my very core we are done having children...oh, how i love them! and if we had a million dollars, i would have so.many.more....i think...here is hollis on his new CAT! he loves riding around on it & pushing all the fun buttons! this boy is so, so loved. we had all the family come out and help celebrate hollis' special day with cake and swimming. his auntie christina even made him an amazing little submarine smash cake! it really makes my heart full when i look around and see so much love for my children. we are so blessed.

i have tried several times to write this post with several photos, but we have been experiencing some technical difficulty over here. so, two photos will have to work for now! it was a great evening celebrating a super special baby boy.

xo,

a

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do fun stuff

a kids record for parents!

i am such a music lover! i grew up in a singing family...nope, that doesn't mean, we were good, it just means we loved to sing. alot. i loved singing with my kinder. kids for years, and now i love singing with my own children {even though ava is loving the spotlight these days and isn't up for many duets!} but yeah, we are singing all the time! i am always on the look out for fun kids music {you know, songs that don't make you want to kill yourself after hearing them a few times...and by few, i mean 1,000ish...

sooooo, you have to check out this new album, do fun stuff, a compilation of fun & entertaining songs by various artists for kids and parents! the mastermind behind this amazing charity album is one of my favorite bloggers. his blog is inspirational, beautiful, and real. he wanted to create this album to benefit SMS, which his son has been diagnosed with. so inspirational.

100% of the proceeds from the sale of this album goes to a grant fund established with PRISMS. The money will be made available to grad students who wish to make SMS their field of choice, the benefit of this is more hard research being done, which leads to more case studies, which leads to more answers for parents and researchers. if you are moved to make a donation donation rather than simply buying the album, you can click on the little "share" at the bottom of mr. do fun stuff at the top of this post

so go check it out, get your kids some awesome new tunes, and do some fun stuff, ya'll!

xo,

a

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{untitled}

Normal day,
let me be aware of the treasure you are.
Let me learn from you,
love you,
bless you before you depart.
Let me not pass you by
in quest of some rare and perfect tomorrow.
Let me hold you while I may,
for it may not always be so.
One day I shall dig my nails into the earth,
or bury my face in the pillow,
or stretch myself taut,
or raise my hands to the sky and want,
more than all the world, your return.
~Mary Jean Iron

be thankful for normal days and celebrate this superprincess with us.

we didn't get around to our tea party today...long story...but i held my babies extra tight and we will tea party tomorrow.

xo,

a

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ava the fish...

my girl loves to swim and just finished her swim lesson session today! she did so well and loves the water! thought i'd share some video of her swimming her little heart out! {please ignore my silly voice...and yes, that's hollis squealing in that second one!}

she has learned so much the past few months and i am so proud of our little swimmer! look out michael phelps! ha!

xo,

a

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winning...

as you all know i write for an awesome giveaway blog, enter tons of giveaways online, have actually won some pretty cool things, & yeah, am addicted to giveaways! last week i actually won TWO!!!! in one week! who knew hollis' birthday would bring me such luck! both winning will benefit ava, though...weird how that worked on hollis' birthday week...the universe must have known that she needed something special to come in the mail just for her, too! this arrived today and is so darn cute! ava wore it out to dinner tonight and got so many compliments...it really is quite eye catching ;)

it's from a totally darling etsy shop called Laken & Lila! the owner is just as sweet as her creations! i am hoping to do a few photographs for her fall line come october! fingers crossed on that possibility! i love collaborating with people!

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my baby turns ONE...

oh how i remember a year ago today...my first memories of you will never fade away sweet boy. your sweet little cry, your precious baby smell, those skinny little legs...the first moment you looked at me and i know you knew i was your mama. i have treasured every moment this past year and it has passed way to quickly. you have changed so much in the blink of an eye.

i look at you and i feel like i have known you my whole life, that you have never not been present. i think you have an old soul. you are the sweetest, happiest baby i have ever known and i am so thankful for that. you are my snuggle bug baby, the lovey, cuddly baby i always hoped for. i love you with my whole heart and am so glad you completed this family of ours. you were the perfect missing piece.i adore you.

happy birthday baby boy.

xo,

mama

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wing love...

i stumbled accross these fabulous boots the other night while playing on-line! aren't they amazing! i have an insane amount of "wing love"...and these just make me drool!!! if it weren't for the price tag that comes along with them, they would be in some UPS truck right now making their way to me! ...why do i have to have such great taste?! ha! so for now, they go on the wish list...

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the littles...

it's been too long since a blog post or any photos of these two adorable littles....& all i have are excuses, so i'm not even gonna give 'em! it's been a crazy month full of birthdays, travel, visiting loved ones, ear infections {blech}, swimming, family time, building metal building in the back patch...all kinds of crazy business! for now, though, a photo of my sweetest boy sleeping soundly in his crib...yes that's my pink holly hobby blanket he's sleeping on...and several other blankets in bed with him...what can i say, the boy loves blankeys!

check out those thunder thighs! love 'em!
missy ava jumping herself into the pool! don't let the floaties fool you...she is a swimming fool! look out michael phels!

my chamion back floater {being lazy with the floaties on!...but that's okay, it was a lazy kind of day!}

hope you all have a beautiful weekend...it is going to be crazy hot here...i see more swimming in our future!

xo,

a

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your time is limited...

your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. and most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. they somehow already know what you truly want to become.? – steve jobs

{little headband i put together for ava...love making her pretty things to wear!}

to see more of this gorgeous senior session, check my photo blog! {i'll be adding pics soon!} My niece...isn't she drop.dead.gorgeous?!?

getting ready for some fun! sorry it's been quiet around here, we've been super busy...& sick...but that's a whole other blog post!

xo,

a

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beautiful birthday girl...

well, i turned 30 yesterday and one thing that makes it even easier is not doing it alone! my very best friend turns 30 today, yes, we were almost birthday twins...but alas, i am one day OLDER {& she never lets me forget it!}. as many of you already know, jen and i have been besties since the first day of first grade, that means we have been together since we were 6, so 24 years. ours is a friendship that will last a lifetime and i am so thankful to have a friend like jen in my life. she is more than my friend, she is like my sister & we have been with each other through so many lifetime events, even if it has been just in each other's hearts. i always feel like she is with me even if we are 532 1/2 miles apart....

Here she is pictured on her lovely cruiser from her daddy...the perfect birthday present for her! just wish i was there to take a birthday cruise with her!

happy birthday beautiful friend. i love you so much and as always, wish i was there to celebrate with you!

"What is a friend? A single soul in two bodies."
- Aristotle

happy birthday lovely girl!
xo,
a

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29...

so this is it...i must admit it's a bit painful saying goodbye to my 20's, they've been so good to me. i taught children, got married to the man of my dreams, traveled the world, laid on the beach and did absolutely nothing but breathe, give birth to two pretty amazing little people, learned what true love really is & following your heart is way more important than following your head, to move on from the past...it's back there for a reason, some things really are beyond our control, true friends truely are hard to come by, the most important things in life really are free and usually you already have them, to love my body, it's the only one i'm ever going to have, and to not take a single moment for granted, life can be changed in an instant...nothing is guaranteed.

i feel so lucky to love my life so much right at this very second...i think it makes turning 30 that much easier...
xo,
a

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three years of lovely...

so it's been three years of lovely since this precious girl was born. so much in life has changed since she came into the world and i wouldn't change.one.single.thing. i look at this child and am amazed that such a beautiful being can be created from love. she is love personified. she brightens our days and makes life so very interesting. she loves deeply and i swear people fall for her the instant they lay their eyes on that sweet face.

{here she is feeling the raindrops fall on her face...swoon}i am blessed to be ava's mommy...it seems like she was born, i held her in my arms, breathed in heaven, blinked my eyes....and here we are three years later. the infant now a child ready to take on the world.
may you build a ladder to the stars
and climb on every rung.
and may you stay,
forever young.
happy birthday darling girl, mama loves you...

xoxoxo

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