Project 365 / 052 thru 365 / 058

One of my favorite photos from this last week – me and Bella on “Her Special Day”!  I’ll post the rest of those photos on Monday.  Just thought I’d throw this in before the other ‘project’ photos!

 

 

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Sunday 052
“Baby Shower Flowers”

 

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Monday 053
“My Classroom”

 

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Tuesday 054
“Sunrise in Colorado”

 

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Wednesday 055
“Giggles”

 

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Thursday 056
“Bedhead”

 

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Friday 057
“Boys”

 

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Saturday 058
“Her First ‘Train’ Ride”

and

Just for Fun,
some more snow pics…

The Night Before….

The Morning After!

remember to:
live.laugh.love.and.celebrate.life.

 

 

“Photography, as a powerful medium of expression and communications, offers an infinite variety of perception, interpretation and execution.”

Ansel Adams

Bella’s Special Day

It’s a surprise!

She doesn’t know where she’s going.

She just knows she has to dress up really pretty today.

This is her special day with her mommy and daddy.

Our princess.

May her day be filled with wonder, excitement, dancing and singing!

remember to:
live.laugh.love.and.celebrate.life.

“Little town in a quiet village.  Everyday like the one before.  Little town full of little people.  Waking up to say…..Bonjour!”

And He’s Off…

So, I’m a little behind in uploading videos, but better late than never, right?

I’m enjoying Scout’s new found freedom since he’s been walking.  He doesn’t seem to need me to hold him 18 hours a day, which is nice.  He likes to follow Bella around and when you are behind him he looks like E.T. waddling around – hehe!

I have some ‘projects’ I’m working on here at home which are keeping me busy.  It seems that my house has become one big ‘pile’ of stuff.  I can’t stand that, so I’ve been going through stuff and deciding what goes and stays.  I’m also trying to figure out some new storage ideas for all our things because we don’t have good storage in this house.  And I’m talking about stuff we use on a daily basis – there’s just no place to put stuff.  Any ideas for clever storage solutions?

Anyhoodle…working on all that stuff and I’m filling photo albums with 1,500 (yes, you read that right, 1,500) photos that I finally printed off from the year 2007.  I’m trigger happy I tell you.  These were just the ones I picked to print – I probably took 5 times that amount.  Now I still have to go through 2008 and 2009 and print photos off for those years.  Ugh.  I don’t like being behind.

ALSO I’m trying to be creative and I’m making a little something special for my friend, Sarah, who is having her first baby in May.  I figured since I had nothing else to do, I could start a baby project.  Why not?  I’m actually enjoying it.  It allows me to sit down and chill for a while, when normally I’m not big on sitting.  I have to be moving.  So – this is nice.

THEN I’m about 1/2 – 3/4 of the way done with my courses for my coaching certification.  I have learned a lot of interesting things as well as dumb things.  Just being honest.  I think some people just completely lose sight of reality with some things and just make up weird stuff.  Just sayin’.  I do think I’ve come up with a name for my business and it would encompass both the Wellness and Birthing Coaching.  Should I tell you guys?

So, here’s my Bubba walking around.  What a cutie!  Off to work on some things while he’s napping and Bella is occupied with Polar Express!

 

remember to:
live.laugh.love.and.celebrate.life.

“We worry about what a child will become tomorrow, yet we forget that he is someone today.” 

Stacia Tauscher

Another School Shooting…

I’m not sure how national this news was, so many of you may not even know what I’m talking about.

We had another school shooting in our nice, quiet city here.  It may not have been on the scale of Columbine, which was almost 11 years ago (hard to think it was that long ago), but size doesn’t matter when people are the target and especially when kids are getting shot.   Honestly, I’m tired of these things happening in my community.  First Columbine.  Now this.  Not to mention a few smaller shooting incidents in between.

This time it happened at a middle school / junior high.  The junior high I attended, gulp, around 22 years ago.  Man, that sounds like forever ago.  One thing for sure – never in my life would I have ever felt unsafe when I went to school there.  Never.

It was strange to see all my friends on FB write something about this in their status and how they couldn’t believe this happened at the school they went to.  It is a little hard to believe when you remember vividly the two years you spent there.  Eating lunch on the grass out front.  Walking home everyday without a care in the world.  School shootings weren’t a common reality when I was in Junior High.  Not even when I was in High School.

Today, after school was dismissed, a 32 year old man walked up to a group of kids outside the school and asked if they went to the school.  They said yes.  He fired some shots with his rifle and hit 2 students.  A 6’5” math teacher (former college basketball player) tackled the guy while he was trying to load another round.  The teacher is a hero. 

The students are both expected to live and the gunmen was arrested and will be charged with at least 2 counts of attempted murder this Wednesday.  As of now, they don’t see that this man has any connection to any of the students or teachers at the school.  It appears to be very random – but they should know more over the next couple of days.

The one eerie resemblance to Columbine is the helicopters hovering over.  That is one of the things I disliked the most in the days following the Columbine tragedy – and that was all the helicopters that just hovered over our neighborhood.  Tonight as my daughter and I were walking into our local library, she says, “Mom, look, 2 helicopters!”  There they were, just hovering over the area of the middle school.  Instantly brought back memories.

I know the times we live in are dangerous, but  it doesn’t make it any less disheartening to hear of these things happening.  And just because our government decided to take prayer out of school in 1964 – that doesn’t mean we can’t pray FOR our schools and the children and teachers in them.

Parents, this is a good reminder to pray for your children DAILY.  If you don’t have children, pray for the children and the schools in your city.  It is so vitally important that we keep our kids and schools surrounded by God’s hand of protection.  We must be proactive.  Psalm 91, the protection psalm,  is a wonderful chapter to declare over your family on a daily basis.  If you want to go further, a book I recommend is:

Protecting Your Family In Dangerous Times by Kellie Copeland Swisher (you can click on the title to learn more about it). I highly recommend this book.

As a parent who will be sending her daughter to school next year, it is very important that I keep her covered in prayer and the protection of God.  Well, I’m not waiting until next year, I do it now over the school she currently attends.  His protection is something I wouldn’t want to live without in the times we live in.

My heart goes out to the families of the two students who were shot.  I’m grateful that neither of them lost their life.

It’s amazing how things have changed over the years. 

If you’d like, you can read the post that I wrote on the 10th anniversary of the Columbine Shootings.

As always, have a great day!

remember to:
live.laugh.love.and.celebrate.life.

“Those who dwell in the secret place of the most high shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty, whose power no foe can withstand.”

Psalm 91:1

True Story Tuesday - Would You STOP Ringing My Doorbell!

It was February 2001 and Hubby and I moved into a rental house.  One day, only a day or two after moving in, I was in the backyard doing something.  Can’t remember what, but I was in the backyard.  Mr. Jerry Bean, the pug, was inside and I wanted him to come out, so I walk up to the back door and open it, lean in and as I’m getting ready to yell “Jerry, come outside!” I heard the doorbell ring.

Hmmmm.  Maybe someone welcoming us to the neighborhood???  How sweet that would be!

I get to the door and there was nobody there.  Obviously we have some little pranksters living in the cul-de-sac.

I go back out side and at  I go out I remember that Jerry needs to come out, so I turn around, open the door and as I’m yelling to Jerry, the doorbell rings AGAIN!

Not funny kiddos!

I go to the front door. I open the front door.  Once again, nobody.

Now I’m a tad irritated.

Back out into the backyard I go.  A couple minutes later I realized I still haven’t gotten Jerry to come out because the whole doorbell fiasco. 

So, I walk BACK up to the door, open it, lean in and start to yell for Jerry again.  And wouldn’t you know – the doorbell rings AGAIN.

But this time, I noticed something.  I felt something funny on my arm as I leaned inside the door.

I looked.

I laughed.

I laughed hard.

Yes, my friends, it was I who kept ringing the doorbell.  It was yours truly that was causing myself to be irritated. Me.

You see, I didn’t know they had a doorbell at the back door and every time I leaned in to call for pups – I leaned on the doorbell.  Then, being the blonde that I am, I’d go answer the door and find nobody standing there.

Go figure.

Thinking about it always makes me laugh.  It’s not as funny as finding strange women’s underwear in my dad’s laundry or trying to take a gun on an airplane – but in my little world where Colorado is the 76th state – it brings a smile to my face!

Happy Tuesday!

remember to:
live.laugh.love.and.celebrate.life.

“A merry heart doeth good like a medicine and a broken spirit drieth the bones.”

Proverbs 17:22

Project 365 / 045 thru 365 / 051

This week I did a lot of family photos.  I’m not sure if I wasn’t feeling creative, but my subjects were mostly those I love!

* * * * * * *

Sunday 045
“Turning One – My Valentine’s Day Baby”

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Monday 046
“Best Friends” * * * * * * *

Tuesday 047
“Daddy’s Shoulder”  

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Wednesday 048
“Look Who Is Eating Peas…Finally” 

* * * * * * * Thursday 049
“Thank You, Mice. Now We Have A Clean Pantry” 

* * * * * * * Friday 050
“A Dog’s Life” 

* * * * * * * Saturday 051
“ The Snow Has Begun To Fall” 


Head over and join at Mommmytography! You can also head over and start up with Sara at:
 I want to wish Baby Bub a very happy FIRST birthday today!  Hope you had an amazing day! 
remember to:
live.laugh.love.and.celebrate.life.
 
“We must remember that a photograph can hold just as much as we put into it, and no one has ever approached the full possibilities of the medium.”Ansel Adams

The Day I Felt Old At The Grocery Store

Monday.  That was the day.  Monday, February 15, 2010.

I’m standing in line at the checkout stand with my kids waiting for my turn to put my stuff on the conveyor belt and the cashier was a tad slow, so I begin glancing at the trash magazines that are on display in my aisle.  Most of it is just dumb.  I rarely look in those magazines.

One of the covers had a lady in a bikini on a bench sort of leaning backwards and underneath her in huge letters it says:

MY BEST BODY AT 40

I glance up at the name of the magazine and realize it’s a celebrity magazine, so I glance back down at the lady because I did not recognize her.  I lean in closer to read her name and my eyes bulge out…

DEBBIE GIBSON

WHAT?!!!!!

I grabbed that magazine quicker than a frog catches a fly and began flipping through to find the article.  Everything else around me disappeared. I was on a mission.

The Debbie Gibson?  Teen pop singing sensation, Debbie Gibson?  I totally wanted to BE Debbie Gibson.  I can’t sing good or play the piano – but I have blonde hair, which must stand for something in the music industry, right?  I SO wanted to be her when I was 13.  And wasn’t it just last month that me, Melissa and Kristin went to her concert in Downtown Denver at the Performing Arts Center?  The concert where we sat in the balcony totally singing along and Melissa, to this day, swears that Miss Gibson waved to her, while she was singing “Lost In Your Eyes”, sitting on top of her piano (her trademark).  Yes, this same Debbie Gibson.

    

So, I’m reading through the article and her new boyfriend created this new diet plan ‘Better Than Lipo” and she’s raving about it and blah, blah, blah and “when I posed for Playboy in 2005…”

WHAT?

Is that even legal?  I mean, isn’t that considered child pornography or something?  Playboy?  Debbie Gibson? “Shake Your Love” Debbie Gibson?  “Lost In Your Eyes” Debbie Gibson?  That’s just not right.

Oh, but the article only got worse.

Then she goes on to say that she’s lost 15 pounds recently and she’s more comfortable in her body now then she’s ever been and it has even improved her sex life.

EXCUSE ME???!!!

You can’t say that!  What if your fans are reading this?  Even worse, what if my mom reads this?  She’ll tell me that you’re not a good influence and she’ll take all my Debbie Gibson VHS tapes away.  I won’t be able to mimic you and want to wear cool hats like you.  I won’t be able to get my hair cut like you.  You don’t talk about your sex life with your boyfriend in a magazine for the world to read.  What?  I’m standing there shocked.  My Debbie Gibson.

And then I hear something.  A strange peacock sound.  All of a sudden I’m back in line at the grocery store with my son screaming – the peacock – and my daughter begging me to get her a piece of junk toy they have for sale in the check out stand.

Reality enters back into the scene.  I have 2 kids.  A 4.5 year old and a 1 year old.  I’ve been married 9 1/2 years.  I’m not 13 anymore.  Debbie Gibson isn’t 16 anymore.  We’re all grown up.  I sat there shell shocked for a couple minutes thinking that my favorite singer as a tween (which, by the way, wasn’t even a word when I was a tween) was going to be 40.  And I was going to be 35.

Then I had an internal gasp!  Do you know what this means? I thought.  If she’s almost 40 and I’m almost 35, then that means that the New Kids On The Block guys are all near or in their 40’s too.  Could this day get any weirder?

Sigh.  Please excuse me while I go downstairs to my organized basement and pull out my Debbie Gibson and NKOTB VHS tapes and magazines and allow me to sit and wonder what happened to the last 20 years of my life.

What’s next?  Tiffany doing Geritol ads?

 

remember to:
live.laugh.love.and.celebrate.life.

“I get lost in your eyes
And I feel my spirits rise
And soar like the wind..
Is it love that I am in?
I get weak in a glance
Isn't that what's called romance?
...And now I know
'Cause when I'm lost I can't let go”

Debbie Gibson, Lost In Your Eyes

 

Scout’s First Birthday Party – A Platinum Hit!

The year went way too fast for my liking, but Scout’s First Birthday finally arrived!  We had a fun time with around 25 people, lots of kids running around screaming and destroying the house, and lots of visiting with family and friends.   Here is my first and probably last attempt at a tiered cake.  They take lots of time!  I know fondant would have given it a more smooth finish, but I can’t stand the taste of fondant.  I made pure buttercream frosting for Scout’s Cake!  Here it is….The Accidental New Me!  If it weren’t for those mice, I’d still be blonde!  I’ve been platinum before, but it wasn’t as exciting this time around.  It’s actually toned down quite a bit in the past week!  Do I look 95 here or what?


The snack table! 


Balloons for the kids to take home.

I did a timeline of photos from each month  from February 2009 thru February 2010.

My handsome little man!



Popcorn!

Everyone got a this photo of Scout to take home.

Inside these bags are cupcakes that everyone got to take home.
 

I put Scout’s initials on top of the cake.

Scout’s smash cake!



 My dad and Scout.  Scout loves his Papa.  Or is it the glasses?

My infamous mom and Scout!

Helping Scout start his cake.

Going for it.

The first bite!
In this picture he looks like my dad when my dad was little.

Digging in.




Lovely!


Each layer was a different color.  I didn’t do flavors – it was just a white cake made from scratch (from Martha Stewart’s website), and it was yummy!

Some of the girls eating.

Scout and Hubby.

Taking a little walk.


Some of the kids at the party.


Opening gifts.  This was a DQ cup with a gift card in it.  You all know how much my Bubba likes his ice cream – specifically Oreo Blizzards.






Taking a breather.
Afterwards.

It was a very fun day for all of us!  I’m glad we were able to share it with our family and friends!  He received lots of cool gifts that he actually plays with.  Bella never played with her toys.  It took her 3 years to play with anything :o)

So, I know the hair may be too dramatic of a change for some of you.  Shoot- it was for me and I was platinum for a year and a half.  But, that was 15 years ago.  I realized that my sense of adventure has diminished and at 34 I’m not that into the platinum look on me – accidental or not.   I will  leave it for a little bit and then I’m going to go through and low light it  with a dark blonde.  Looks like that may be another interesting post too!  Hopefully I will not be trying to catch mice when I do that!

 

Thanks for coming by to see Scout’s little party.  It was very simple, but we had fun!  Have a beautiful day my lovely bloggy friends!

remember to:
live.laugh.love.and.celebrate.life.  

“Our birthdays are feathers in the broad wing of time.” 

Jean Paul Richter