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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