Thanksgiving 2012

I'm working on wrapping up the blog for 2012 and have big plans to ACTUALLY print each year into some awesome blog books. I am feeling behind and under the gun to get it all caught up to speed for this year. Being a busy mom, with three littles never letting me sit down for more than a few seconds, makes organizing and saving, maybe editing and quite possibly even publishing some of the many photos I take, a bit of a task. I have no idea what 2013 looks like for this blog or possibly a new blog or maybe even no blog at all. I'm in the reflective mode of what this blog means, what it is for, if it serves any purpose beyond our own personal memories.  I'm heading into prayer on this and a few other big things for our future. I'm super excited to see what God has in store. I saw a cute word art on Pintrest that said something like, "Don't Pick Up What God Wants You To Put Down". I need to explore what meaning this might have in our life.

In the meantime.......

Thanksgiving 2012 was just a all around great time! We headed way far across the state to my in-laws home. And just before I left, I had to snap an image to get all my Instagram and FB friends into the spirit this year. You are welcome. ;)





Maverick and the beanbag ball.


He's so dramatic.


Poser.


Every boy needs a Doodle I think.


It's time to get the cards out, ladies and gents.


Great-Grandma Frances is recovering from a recent health issue but boy she was sure her spunky ole' self when we put a hand of cards in her hand.


I love this photo. Great-aunt Marls knows how to make that boy laugh!


Speaking of that boy. He's always up to something. Here they are just high-fiving innocently. But wait until I leave the room.....then the shenanigans will begin. I assure you.


A little skyping with my own sweet family. Look at all three of us on here. We all have really messed up faces. It's like we are still trying to figure out how to open up an internet browser or something.


Speaking of internet browsers. The kids were really glued to Donald Duck on YouTube.


How cute is this store front? It's called MoeMoe's Garden and it is a must.


Movie parties need jammies.


After the little boys went to bed....the big boys got out the gaming systems. I didn't photo them in
jammies. :)



My  mother in law like to tackle Pinterest projects when we get together. These were our cute
Christmas tree rice krispie pops.


And while I'm not taking on a whole lot with photography for my business these days, I did have a sweet friend of mine, Nicole, ask me to help document her family while all together during Thanksgiving. We just happened to be celebrating with our families in the same town so I was thrilled to get behind the lens for them. Nicole's sister happened to grab this shot on her smart phone while I was shooting. I loved this photo because it captures so much of what I love about photography. A family all squished together, close as can be, with the beautiful world surrounding them. God blessed all of us abundantly that day with the absolute perfect weather and lighting for a magical moment, now forever etched in their memories through these awesome photographs. It really is an honor for me to be a part of it. :) And thank you Janelle for the photo!




These two are just like two peas in pod.


And this might just be my favorite picture of the weekend.


Or maybe this one.


All in all, a lot of fun was had. The weather was gorgous. We are blessed beyond our knowing with food and faith and family. And I was right there to document it.

The Simple Things

It started snowing yesterday and I said, "Kids! get your cute little bottoms up here and get on your coats and boots and get those rumps outside...it's time to play outside and throw some snow!"  And any idea with the words "throw" or "snow" in it, is pretty much a no-brainer for my boys.

Of course, they grabbed their shovels and went full boar!


There's just something about snowflakes falling on your baby.



Love: it's the ONLY language i want to learn to speak.



And then you watch a miracle happen.














And maybe we should all just slow the heck down and take a lesson from these little wonders. They get the little things in life. And watching them experience these little things that we so often take for granted....just makes life make sense again and again.

And after it's all over, and little boys are wringing wet and there might even still be a flake in their hair.... hearing them at the supper table thank God, for these simple little things...and for the fun they had....and the snow they ate when mom wasn't watching.....it makes a mom, a girl, sit back and think....man......these kids....these nearly still babies...they make it so simple. So perfectly simple.

Here is What is Up.

So a few things to catch up on here.

We had a goodbye party for the greatest preschool teacher that ever lived in the whole wide entire world!!!! The kids were sad and the mommies were even sadder because we know just how much impact this woman has had on our children.



Ms. Randa....you are just really, really super awesome and we hate that you are gone!  We miss you!


The cake was super cute!


I made these doo-higgys for the party. Super easy. OBVIOUSLY because I did it. The boys had so much fun making them with me! Score Pinterest.


My doggy groomer and new friend, Karla asked me if we let Maverick sleep with us. To which I said ......."never (wink, wink) and showed her this picture on my phone.


(that's Derrick's head trying to escape this photo....so as to not have to be associated with all my shenanigans)

We had a family fun night right before Halloween!


This was what happened with me out of the room for just a minute...



A Closer-up for proof.


Yes, that is my five year old with a powertool, and no, my bathroom mirror in the previous picture is soooooo not dirty. You see nothing. Not one form of a spot that the mother has not tended to in weeks.

We made chalkboard pumpkins another day. This was not halloween but yes, my child is dressed like a Dragon.


On the way to VEGGIETALES-whoop whoop!!! We know how to get craunky.



Especially, Chase. Clearly he was really ready to get his veggie-grove on.


Here they are-those big awesome vegetables with great lessons and parables from the bible!


We can always count on Maverick for a smile.


On the actual Halloween, the boys were pretty much turtles ALL day. I love this photo!!!


Because turtles need swords.


Action.


Ever since he has morphed in a TMNT, he has been holding his hand in this position. He literally does it ALL.THE.TIME.



We gots some snow.


I decided there wasn't enough teal in my house so I started painting pumpkins.


Every busy mom or dad needs this. Turns fat into fuel. Do I need to say any more?


Thank you to our awesome bro and sister in law, Derrick and I went to a wedding out of town, with our adult friends.....ALONE!!!!! It was pretty uhhhhhh-mazing.

We so adore our children but we were just laughing about what our day would have been like at this fancy wedding and meal with the ages and stages of our little baby ninjas. Let's just say many a table cloth would have been pulled off!

I didn't bring my big camera but I wished I would have because this wedding was sooo pretty. I loved the big lanterns all over.


This was cute! I couldn't control myself from getting this photo. I just hope the photographer was in tight on this shot. Otherwise.....heeyyyyy, Jesse and Liz! I'm in your cake photos!


Me n my boo.


Then a few weekends back, my momma and cousins were in town and we got to meet everyone out for breakfast. This was Lyd's pancake!


Then I took Lyd on a little girl's date! This is us being dorky posers in the mirror at Claires.



Mom.......these are the boots that Lyd tells me to tell you that she wants for Christmas.

You're welcome. :)

Then Chase had his best gal pal over for dinner.


I read this in my parents mag and I think I should send this to Ann Voskamp. She be diggin this!


Lots of good wisdom from Caribou.


Chase having a quick nap at Preschool.


Some stunning skies going on around these parts.


Beckett discovers Toaster Strudels.


How can you argue with this? So I didn't.


And I was leaving to run out for a quick business task while the boys played with their daddy and ransacked the house and I had to just stop at the sight of the sunset through the steamy window. And of course....you know me, I'm gonna totally take a photo and add a little inspiration to for the world.