Mortenson Family Photoshoot

I love this family! They can make any desert landscape look beautiful. I was excited when Collette asked me to take their family pictures to help announce the gender of baby #4. I can't take credit for the cute box idea...that was all her! So happy for them and their soon to be baby girl!

A Disney Surprise!

Alex surprised us with a fun family night to go see Disney On Ice! The kids were soooo excited! Though, I don't think they really had any clue as to what we were going to go see. I pulled up a few YouTube videos for them to watch a couple of days before so they knew what to expect. And I may or may not have thrown out a few empty threats that if they weren't being good we wouldn't go. 

They were pretty wonderful the couple of days leading up to the big night! :)

 Waiting for the show to start

"Hey Lucy! Are you excited?!" She knows how to please her crazy-picture taking mother.

We had an audience as we tried to attempt the next picture. :)

The kids had an absolute blast! They all behaved so well. Even Annie was captivated with it all. It was a late night, though, with the show starting at 7. Half way through the show, Todd started getting restless, trying to find a comfortable position and constantly kicking the lady in front of him. Many apologies, nice lady! 

It meant the world to me that Alex would do this for us the night before a huge test! Best dad ever!

Characters in attendance: Mickey and Friends gang. Pinocchio, the Stepsisters, Ariel, Rapunzel, Merida, and Belle. 

iLovin

Anna

You're six months old already?! How did that happen?! Next thing I know, you'll be asking to drive the car and talking about boys!

It was fitting that you were born in the Spring. You are such a breath of fresh air! I have never known a baby more smiley and happy as you. You giggle and squeal at all hours of the day! It's cute, except for when I hear you happily cooing through the monitor at 4 am. :)

And those chubby legs! You constantly have your legs stiff with your toes pointed. I think you were born a ballerina. Well, at least I hope so. 

I love that you are so ticklish that you giggle every time I pick you up. I love that your hair has been pretty ugly since you were born, that it's undeniably adorable! (But it's grown in much nicer now). I love that you smack your lips at me when you want to nurse. I love how incredibly calm you are. You are such an easy, content, observant baby.

I just love you to pieces! You bring me so much joy! How happy I am that you came to our family!

McGee Family Photoshoot

I had the pleasure of photographing this beautiful family. They wanted to take pictures in the beautiful desert before they moved to Indiana! (Which they're in the car heading there right now!) We were so happy to get to know them through church and will greatly miss them! All the best to them on their new mid-west adventure!

{mid-week musings} Don't You Know What FUN Is?

“Nooo

            o

               o

                 ho

                   ho

                     ho”

My knees nearly buckled to the floor. I was ready to cry. And laugh. And scream. All at once.

“No! No! No!” were the only words that seemed available at the moment.

“But Mooooom!”Lucy says, “We’re having fun! Don’t you know what fun is?”

Do I know wha… Do I know what fun is?! Ha! I was about to explode!

It was bedtime. The time of day that can’t come soon enough and that can wait forever. The baths, the brushing teeth, the diaper changes, the books, the songs, the begged for nightly drink - it’s all such a process that I wish could happen all on its own. Just once I beg you! There are some days where I am on the ball, feeling like an awesome mom, and bedtime seems to be sprinkled with magic and goes so smoothly.

Yeeeah...tonight was not that night.

I ended up just putting on a movie for Lucy and Todd in my room, while I laid on the floor in the family room with Annie, pushing toys and other things out of the way to make room for me. I wasn’t ready to face the bedtime beast. I wasn’t ready to face anything for that matter. No, Donald Duck! Stop looking at me! I don’t want to get up and put you away! Same with you, Buzz! Nor do I have the energy to get my kids to pick you up!

I found myself laying there for about 25 minutes, looking at Pinterest for the hundredth time, texting a friend, and just gearing myself up to get these kids to bed. I finally got up and moseyed on over to the bedroom. Those kids have been so good and so quiet that I’d hate to turn off their movie right now.

I walked through the doorway, and stopped right in my tracks...

Oh the horror! My once white bed sheets were now a colorful array of rainbow colors. The TV had been drawn all over the screen and the dresser had marks to match. The door was also a victim and there was a racing pinstripe all the way down the hall at about a toddler height. And I’m sure you already figured that both kids were completely covered in marker, both holding pieces of the evidence. And even better! They spilled a bottle of bubbles all over the floor to “skate” in!

“But Mooooom! We’re having fun! Don’t you know what fun is?”

Those little stinks! What was already going to be a mountain to conquer as it was, bedtime just got a million times more complicated. Dang it! I guess that’s what I get for prolonging the inevitable.