Fall Picture Fun

At church, we have a group for us wannabe photographers. We call ourselves "Pic Chicks". It's a great group! We have a lot of fun together! My great friend Mandi hosted this month's gathering... and we did a Fall Harvest theme, but with kids! She had a yummy display of soups & rolls, and everyone brought a yummy fall treat. She bought everything to create a display of hay bales (which by the end of the night, I started calling them "hales"), flowers (b/c my loser mums died on me a week ago... didn't I tell you I just can't keep flowers alive?!), Indian corn, and fun pumpkins. I had a cute apple basket and bought apples along. We set up a gorgeous fall setup.

Then we took pictures.

The point was to take pictures of our kids, especially if we didn't get school pictures (like me). Problem? Kids are having TOO much fun playing.

Maddie was a big ol' party pooper for me. But, I managed to grab a few cute pictures. Editing isn't done just yet, but I'm kind of tired of editing for the moment.

Since the idea behind the whole night was for us photographers to practice our skills out on other kids (or our own)... AND let the parents take pictures of their own as well, here are a few other cute ones I captured.


Mandi ordered this amazing huge balloon... but sadly we hardly got ANY pictures with it! This is the ONLY picture I have. Course... one little boy played with it, and promptly let it go and awwwwayyyyyyy it went to outer space.

Name my rooster....

I have been searching for the perfect rooster for YEARS!

Mike went out of town, and I took the day off (had to get some stuff done) and I went to Home Goods and found THE ROOSTER! Almost of my dreams! He matches my kitchen perfectly. I have to laugh b/c I played a trick on Mike. I texted him "hey!! I bought a rooster!" He texted back "WHAT?!!!" and then another text came from him "explain yourself."

But I need a good name. Rory the rooster? Bert the rooster? KFC?

You tell me..... what's a good name for this guy?

He's got a nice right side.... and he matches nicely with my yellow plate stand.


Doesn't he have great legs? I love 'em!

And he's got a purdy left side too!

On second thought, I just realized I'm still on a lookout for a rooster.
This thing is a chicken!
BOO!

Oh well... I'm going to pretend he's a rooster.

Name ideas?

I love new babies.....

My wonderful friend recently had her baby....

So tiny, so perfect in every way.

I've love baby's feet!! (I retouched the name on the bracelet to protect identity of mother & child).

R Family Photoshoot

Last night I photographed one of my favorite families here in San Antonio!

Some of you might recognize that famous gal.... :)

This family is truly a gem.... and wonderful friends to our family!

You can click here to see the rest of the pictures!!

Volleyball ..... the only good play in the game

Since Katie's little team is one of three (well, 5 if you count the A & B team), she only gets to play an actual game every three weeks.

Stinks... a little.

But, this last game they were a little better. They actually got the ball over the net a few times & bounced back & forth! Wahoo!! You can even hear me "wahooooo" at the end. Trust me, it was the only good play in the entire game. I started & stopped my camera so many times b/c of failed serves/plays, etc.

Katie's the one in the front. Two braids. Knee high socks. Yeah, that blonde.

Check back in a day or two! Another giveaway from MyBlogSpark is coming your way! I got my package today, and I have to say I LOVE this giveaway!!

Top 12 things my mom says

Hi everyone... Katie here. Since my mom basically blogs about our life, and has been for YEARS, I'm going to talk about my mom. So here we go...

Top 12 Things my mom ALWAYS says

1. Do you have a bra on Madison?
2. Did you make your bed?
3. Ooooh, a garage sale!
4. Get out of my bathroom
5. Go change your clothes, that doesn't match, Madison
6. Load the dishwasher for me
7. Chuck is my TV boyfriend
8. Pick up your dirty clothes
9. I'm going to Target!
10. Put your plate in the dishwasher
11. Tell your sister you're sorry

and the final one she always says as we leave for school, or when she drops us off:

12. Do your best. Make good choices and remember who you are!!

This is my signature self... Peace out!

~Katie

just keep moving....

A few weeks ago, I took the girls to the most amazing trail/playground/park behind our house. Katie's been dying to run (she's taking track in the spring)... and well... I'm not so keen on running. I hate it. I mean, I REALLY hate it. Mike's made me run w/ him once or twice a few weeks ago, and I think he learned really fast that I turn into a not very nice person when I run. I think I said such things like "you just mind your own business and I'll mind mine..." and "you run on ahead, I'll run at my pace *%$#"... among other things. I think that *%$# was me thinking in my head.

But now that the summer is over, and fall looks like it's here to stay, I am going to start running in the evening. With Katie.

I bought my feet some new babies... Katie has some just like it that we bought when school started. I bought some today, and saved $25 from what we paid for hers! Geesh!
On second thought... I'll let her run. I'll just walk. REALLY fast. One foot in front of another. Like I said, I hate running. But I love to walk!

Miss Maddie's review

Last week I went to have a visit with Maddie's teacher. I absolutely LOVE her teacher. To death. She is every bit of a teacher I have always hoped my girls would have a chance of having. I remember my teachers, some were really dull... boring... not fun... mean... strict.... and I don't remember them fondly. But Maddie's teacher.. amazing!

First thing out of her mouth was that Maddie was a sweetheart. The next thing she said really surprised me... she's very social. VERY social. Who would've thought our Miss Maddie was a social butterfly?! Not me! She's so quiet! Especially away from home! She did say that most of the kids in the class were all very social. So, she has to make desk changes and rearrangements on a daily basis... sometimes several times a day!

Then, she said she can't win either when it comes to changing everyone around. She thought she had a winner w/ the Boy/Girl/Boy/Girl setup, but she said everyone's friends, and it was like a "oh, HI Jesse! How was your summer?!" kind of situation. With everyone!

So, Maddie's doing well in all her subjects. A's in everything. She is also becoming a great leader! She said a few weeks ago she wasn't feeling well, and put on a video for the kids to watch. While it was being shown, Maddie got up and did the sorting that needed to be done for the class, without being asked. The teacher said she was super impressed by that.

She told me about the little gift Maddie bought her. (it was post it notes from the dollar section at Target). I told her the story behind that gift. Maddie went with me to Target the night before. She told me she just HAD to get those post it notes for her teacher b/c she just couldn't handle the class.... and that those notes would help her out. Hmmm... OK? Well, she bought it, wrapped it up all by herself, with a very pretty homemade card, and was so proud to give it to her. She truly does think the world of people, even if it's not 100% the problem what they're suffering with...

She also explained more in detail about "the note". Yeah, that love note. She took it out of the boy's hands after she asked him about it (he hid it), and he gave it to her. She read it, and thought "oh, how can I take this from him? It was the cutest thing ever!"... so she gave it to Katie. She said the little boy is absolutely in love with Maddie. When she talks to him, or looks at him, he stares at her with a smile on her face. She separated them that very day. ::giggling::

All in all, our baby is doing well. Very smart, very well liked by all her friends. All in all, she's a happy camper!

beautiful bryn

Last weekend I had the wonderful opportunity to shoot pictures of Bryn!! I took pictures of her when she was just a few weeks old. This baby is just the most precious, happiest baby. I had so many pictures of her just smiling and just being SO happy!

I had many favorites, but these are on the top of my list!

Absolutely love everything about this picture. Love just oozes everywhere!

Since Daddy was not able to make it to the first session, he played a big role here this time.
I absolutely love this picture of them together.
My girls (and then the Momma) went outside to get the baby to look outside!

I was also glad to let them borrow my girls' blessing gown. SO happy I have some pictures of A baby in the gown!! I don't have any of Katie in her gown, and just a few Maddie. :(

watching you

Every once in awhile I'll get a startling awakening as a mother... and I find myself wondering if I'm really doing what I should be doing as a mother. Or rather, if I'm doing all I can do as a mother. Am I a good example to my kids? Do I want my kids taking on my habits?

We all have heard the "Do as I say, not as I do" story over & over again. We've all heard the "someone is always watching you" poems, that just tugs at your heart. Little ones literally are watching us at all times. Someone is ALWAYS watching us... neighbors, friends, family... everyone.

A few weeks ago, I heard a song on the radio, and I've always liked the song. Didn't know who sung it, and I didn't know the words. I just heard "cuz I've been watching you" as part of the lyrics. So, I came home, looked up my radio station and found the song. Read the words online ... and for some reason, it just put shivers down my body. I love the message this song is sending to us.

Years ago when Katie was 3 years old, she was watching Mike change out something electrical. Not entirely sure what the circumstance was, but Mike said the four letter S word, in front of Katie. She heard him, and she repeated it. In front of my grandma. My grandma asked her "where did you hear that word?!!!" Katie told her "from my daddy." gulp

Yeah...

So, I am going to strive to be a better example to my girls. They're picking up some bad habits (like their room & bathroom.... never clean! But then again, neither is my room & bathroom!). I realize that I only have a little over 5 years left with Katie before she leaves for college. That's not long. I have so much to do... so much to show her... so much to teach her. Trust me, our babies grow up so fast!

So, I am making a promise to myself, and to my girls, that I will do better in the things that truly matter: spiritually .... physically. Make sure we have scripture reading & prayers daily. Make sure we exercise. Eat healthy. Serve others. The list goes on & on.

Because really, the best example our children will ever watch, is us. Are YOU the best example for your kids? Just remember, our children are watching us. Are you OK with what you are teaching them by your actions? Or by what you say? Frankly, I'm not OK with what I do. I can do better... and I will do better.

carefree at the park

Last week I took the girls to the new park that's behind our house. It is amazing. Full of trails, awesome park features, a dog park, among other things. Love the trails the most!

I also love the fact that my girls can still be kids on the playground!!


Here are some fun pictures I took of Katie. All are B&W because it was a tad bit too dark out, and I couldn't get the colorings just right... but oh well, I still like 'em!


Here's that sassy attitude again.....

boycotting school pictures

I remember picture days at school growing up. My mom curled my hair, dressed me up in a dress (the only time I would wear a dress to school)... and just pray & hope that my picture would turn out. When the pictures came in, she would either find out that A) I royally messed up my hair at recess or B) well... I think there isn't a B because the hair part is mostly the biggest pain. My friends & I used to exchange the bajillion wallet sized pictures we used to get. It was awesome.

Today is picture day at Maddie's school. I used to plan in advance for this big day! I used to make sure my girls had a cute outfit, their hair was curled or done just right. Until last year.

Last year it was the last straw when it came to school pictures. I was tired of paying $15 for the smallest package there was, and it only came with a 5x7 and 4 wallets. You *MIGHT* get a little more... if you were lucky. What a ripoff. I mean... if a package comes with two 5x7's, and you want one, obviously... what happens to the other two sets of grandparents who might want a 5x7?! Yeah, um..... sorry, this year you get the 5x7 and next year, the other grandparents get the 5x7?!

Plus if you saw the picture that Katie had, you would've thought a chimpanzee took the school pictures. The coloring was SO bad (let's talk about orange faces.... yeah, her face was orange!) & I think they snapped the picture right when she sat down on the chair... complete with a look as if she's about to start saying "CHEESE". I said "that's it... no more school pictures".

Sadly, I also realized over the year, that a lot of my friends are feeling the same way that I feel. "Oh, school pictures? Yeah, we don't do them.... I take my own pictures b/c I actually do a better job than the people Lifetouch hires..... WITH my point & shoot!!" Yes, said by multiple friends. Now, don't get me wrong, sometimes Lifetouch does a great job, but whatever company Katie's school used (it wasn't Lifetouch), they were Baaaaad! (said by a goat).

So, this year, I'm saving my $30-50 I would normally spend on school pictures, and I will be taking my own. I can print them for cheap at Sam's. And they will be exactly what I want them to be. No more bad hair days. No more disheveled looks in the school pictures. No more frowns in our school pictures. I'm boycotting school pictures. I will, however, buy the class picture. That's a must... :)

Until then, here's a picture of my two cute blondies at the park.