Honestly...

Ok, so I'm not even sure why I'm admitting to this, but this gorgeous hydrangea? Not from my yard. It was in my neighbor's yard. I sneaked some shots while we were out playing the other day. In my defense, it's close the the property line. Shameful, I know, but I'm a sucker for hydrangeas. The neighbors didn't notice, I don't think.

Merrick did, however. He yells from our yard, "MOM! You're too far! Come back!" I really don't want to raise a trespasser, so I wandered back across the line. And he'd be sure to tattle on me next time he saw the neighbors. "Hey, my mom was in your yard." I'd be mortified I'm sure, but I'd deserve it. ;)

Check out more shots at ThePaperMama

Referring is Awesome.

I did a session Easter weekend with a sweet family. I'd actually never met them before, but a referral from an awesome lady from our church (that saint who first trusted me with her family portraits) that led to another referral. It's the biggest compliment ever when people recommend you to their friends.

It just says, "I like what you do, and think other people will, too." So thanks for all that referring. It is much appreciated! The session last weekend was my first with 2 children. It added a bit more spice, to be sure, but was also a lot of fun capturing each of the girls and their different personalities.

I had a great time getting to know this family, and am hoping to see more of these cute kids as they grow!

The Hunt

We had a wonderful, sunny Easter this past Sunday. Gorgeous early morning run (that's my kind of church service right there...), fellowship and worship with our church family, and more fellowship with our extended family.

We spent the afternoon grilling, lounging around in the sun, playing frisbee, and hunting for Easter eggs. It was easy for me to tell when I looked through my shots yesterday which ones were before the hunt and which ones were after. (Chocolate beards all around)

It was a great day, with many great reminders of the real reason we celebrate Easter. (I see those reminders so many places: my kids faces, the hazy light curling around us all as the sun goes down, the breath in my lungs each morning, and chocolate. I'm only kind of kidding.) Now excuse me while I go raid the kids' candy stash while they are sleeping. ;)

He is not here, but has risen! - Luke 24:6

(The last shot is my pick for Trendy Treehouse and Sweet Shot, and the middle is for You Capture)

New Life

So thankful for new life, and for the Giver of life as we start out this new week. Easter is a sweet reminder of the unimaginable gift we've been given, but I hope to live each day besides never forgetting the reason I live.

Your dead shall live; their bodies shall rise. You who dwell in the dust, awake and sing for joy! For your dew is a dew of light, and the earth will give birth to the dead. / Isaiah 26:19

Changes

There are a lot of changes going on around here lately. Some big, some small, some just potential. I'm not exactly able to talk about all of them quite yet. And no, I'm not pregnant. ;) (It's like a 'to be continued..." blog post. Annoying, right? But soon enough.)

Some things are the same...like how much I love this Spring weather, and playing outside with my kiddos, but we are going to be playing in a yard in a different location. Not too far, just moving a bit down the road closer to my hubby's work. (I sold a kidney just last week trying to pay for gas. And am currently searching Craig's list for a horse and buggy. Horse preferably included.) So this move is going to be a huge relief on our road weary household.

I'm excited about the changes, even though I'm totally a creature of habit. (I guess we all are to an extent.) What I'm not excited about is packing up our house in the swamp. I don't even like unloading the groceries, much less a whole house. Wonder how long I can put it off? Usually I pack night before when we go on trips...but I don't think that'll work with moving.

Check out more shots at The Paper Mama

(The last shot is my pick for this week)

They Do

Last Saturday I blogged that I was shooting a wedding. It was the first one I'd done (I was shooting along with several other photographers) and I was really excited to have the opportunity to get into this genre of photography.

It's one of those things I've watched people do, and wondered..."can I do that?" Honestly, it was a bit stressful at first. But once I got into it, I remember thinking "this is something I want to keep doing".

I was nervous as first, but as one friend kindly pointed out to me, nerves are something that help keep us from relying on ourselves. Something that keep us humble.

It was originally supposed to be an outdoor ceremony, but anyone who lives in this area knows we had about 10 confirmed tornados on that day. We had a big fail in the weather department. But the venue that they had booked had a great reception hall that worked beautifully for the ceremony and reception.

We were able to sneak outside for a few minutes to get a few portraits done, but for the most part stayed indoors. I'm glad I had the experience first-hand learning to work a not-so-fabulous weather situation.

The one thing I wasn't expecting was my ridiculously sore legs (give me a break, I did squats off and on for 7 hours straight) and back. But other than the following two-days of hobbling I really enjoyed the wedding, and am looking forward to the rest of the weddings we've got planned for the summer!

Photography and editing by Austin-Lee Barron. Photos property of Nuvoria Photography.

Routine

I know a lot of people hate Monday's. But around here, after our usual crazy weekends, they are kind of our wind down time. We get back into our routine, we fix dinner at home, we play in the yard...

We go for walks, (also known as trying to herd the kids and keep them actually IN the stroller so no one gets run over by a car) we watch a little TV. We "go to bed early". (I know we always mean to, but does anyone ever go to bed when they mean to?)

I know sometimes routine is looked down on as boring, mundane, uninteresting. And too much of it can be. But I'm really grateful for the routine days with my family, when we can just relax and be together. Nothing crazy going on, not too much to do, just enjoy each other's company.

That first shot is for Trendy Treehouse, 2nd is for Perceptive Perspectives, and third for You Capture.

In the Marrow

In a field of yellow flowers, underneath the sun,
bluest eyes that spark with lightning, boy with shoes undone.
He is young, so full of hope, reveling in tiny dreams,
filling up his arms with flowers, right for giving any queen.

Running to her beaming bright, while cradling his prize.
A flickering of yellow light, within his mother's eyes.
She holds them to her heart, keeping them where they'll be safe,
clasped within her very marrow, dandelions in a vase.

She sees love, where anyone else would see weeds. / Five Iron Frenzy

I want to be that mom. To be that mom to him, and to her. The mom (or wife, friend, sister...) who sees, notices, loves. God has entrusted me with such gifts, and I hope that I bless Him with how I keep them.

First time for everything...

Today, I am off to shoot my first wedding. Eeeeek! (I'm not doing it entirely by myself, actually, but am working with the photog's who shot my sister's wedding back in November). I can't wait, and I'm a bit nervous. That's a good thing, right? I guess we'll find out.

FYI, this picture has nothing to do with shooting a wedding, but while we're talking about firsts, this was my first attempt at a self portrait using a fan. I hate doing self-portraits, but saw a great one on a friend's blog and wanted to try it. (One can always use a new profile pic, right?) I felt extra cheesy, but sometimes you'll do all kinds of things to avoid washing the dishes during nap time. Prayers appreciated, people! Not with the dishes...with the wedding. Well, maybe both.

Check out more self-portraits at The Paper Mama

It happened.

I feel like I've joined some elite club. I belong to an organization that before I wasn't part of. My kid finally colored on my walls. I know it happens, to most moms probably, but at this point we had avoided it.

I was busily burning DVD's for photography clients, with my permanent marker by my side to label them with. I was so busy organizing, feeling like I was accomplishing something, that I didn't even notice when a little hand snatched my marker. And very quietly (They are capable of so much quiet when they are up to no good. Can I get an amen?) colored several walls, the kitchen floor, a couple doors, and his own skin and shirt.


I didn't even notice until he proudly showed me his new "tattoo". And then I happened to notice he had tattooed several other surfaces as well.


I guess I will learn my lesson (to pay attention) one of these days. Hopefully before more redecorating at the hands of a Sharpie.

The Big "Game"

Merrick had his first soccer game Saturday. This was one proud mama, people. He didn't even have to play, he just had to show up in those way-too-big soccer shorts and shin guards and he had me. I tried not to be too obvious about it though. ;)

I think he played a total of 5 minutes of the hour long game. We ate, slept, drank, and dreamed soccer all week, and then when we showed up the jitters apparently got a hold of him (as well as 80% of his team...he was no anomaly) and you'd have thought the soccer ball had teeth and claws. Kids were running screaming off the field. It was still the cutest thing I've ever seen.

I guess you can't expect but so much out of a gaggle of 3 year olds in shin guards up to their armpits (because that's the smallest size you can find). He kicked it about once I think, and then tripped over it, and he was done. He also took one bite of the traditional soccer game orange slice and made the face you see above. Not a fan I suppose? But I'm still convinced I'll see him on ESPN in a few years. ;) Stay tuned, next week I'm hoping we won't be suffering from soccer-field paranoia.

Check out more shots at Perceptive Perspectives, Sweet Shot, and The Happiness Project

(The last shot is my pick for this week)

How it Sings

I recently started following a blog called A Holy Experience. It's written in such a way that every time I read it I cry. In a good way. The way this lady writes...I just get. It hits home, it makes sense, and she says it so beautifully.

Last week she wrote a post on emptiness. On how God uses those empty spaces, those deep soul shaking aches within us to play a song. That the hollows are where the beautiful melody can resonate, and He can be glorified. (Think of a guitar...what would it be without the hollow space?)  When I'm full of myself, there's no room for His song.

It blew my mind, and continues to make me teary every time I read it, because of how true, and how right now needed, it is. This is a lesson I'm learning. But I'm still at the stage where I'm not wanting to let myself be emptied. Still clinging, I'm so not willing, but then I am, but then I'm not. I talk big, but I'm scared to take the first step. Isn't there an easier way, God? Will it hurt? Do I have to let go of the things that won't fill me anyway? Yes.

Don't be fooled. I'm not going through anything that bad, I am so blessed. I'm just so stubborn and I never learn. But maybe I do, just so slowly. But He reminds me that He's not going anywhere, and has all the time in the world to make something beautiful out of me, something He already sees.

Check out this song that Voskamp's blog post included, both of which say all this much better than I could...

A minute

This weekend is going to be pretty busy. This morning we have our first soccer game for Merrick, followed by a jewelry party, followed by a photo shoot.

I'm not looking forward to the busy, but we are busy with things that I am looking forward to. But before all that gets started I just wanted to take a minute and savor the peaceful evening we all had outside playing together yesterday. I'm looking forward to more of those. Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Check out more shots at The Paper Mama.

(The first shot is my pick for this week)

Soccer Mom

We had Merrick's first "soccer practice" this week. I say that in quotes, because it was probably the most loose interpretation of the sport of soccer imaginable, but also the cutest. As you can tell, in this league (3-4yo's) not using your hands is something we're still working on. I was definitely proud of my little man running around the field is those ridiculously cute shin guards.

He has his first game on Saturday. You can rest assured there will be a blog post for that. I know, you're on the edge of your seats. ;) Maybe not, but I can hardly wait. Now, where's my minivan?

(Sidenote: Anyone who makes fun of minivans has obviously never tried to load a kid into a car with only two doors. Thank goodness we have four doors now, but I'm still waiting for my van in shining armor. *Dreamy sigh*)

Me Included

I'm rarely seen in pictures around here. As much as I like pictures, I am notorious for making reeediculous faces in them. Not on purpose either, cuz that might be ok. I've been told I have a very expressive face, and when it's caught in action, well, it's not what I'd call profile pic material.

I actually took the first shot "myself" with the timer. So I knew it was coming, but I'm still not gonna say how many takes there were. Someone was always running out of the frame, myself included. But when the weather was this great I can't really blame them. It was 80 degrees, and we couldn't be contained.

The first shot is my pick for Trendy Treehouse and YouCapture, and the last shot is for Sweet Shot.

I have a hard job.

Recently my husband retweeted something that really (and I mean really) hit home with me. It went like this: "Our greatest fear should not be failure, but of succeeding at things in life that don't really matter." - Francis Chan Um, ouch. That one had my name on it, and took out my knees. I'm trying so hard to be good at lots of things. All of them good things. But all of them not the best things.

Like this flower, I'm here one day and gone the next. My life will be a blur, a little blip on the radar. People most likely aren't going to have to memorize my name for a history test in the year 2111. Sounds depressing, maybe, but at the same time I realize I have a gift in the life that I have. I also have a job to do. And it's all about the love. Loving my God, my hubby and kids, my friends, those people you secretely dream of telling them how you really feel about them...(you know someone's face totally just popped into your mind).

But just like this flower is unfurling it's best, using what it's got to get the job done, praising it's Creator as it was made to. (It's not trying to be a mountain lion, or an apple, or that girl with the great hair who makes you want to crawl under a table, or supermom next door) It knows what it is, and knows what it was made for, and does a darn good job. I have a lot to learn about being myself, being my best, striving at the things that matter, and praising God while I do it. It's a big job, but I was made for it.

Check out more shots at Lisa's Chaos

Home again, home again...

Sad to say we are no longer in sunny Florida, but at the same time glad we are back home. I always miss home. I'm a total homebody, and miss my own bed, shower, food, space, especially my own space. But, I am also missing the hot tub. I love my bath tub, but it's just not the same. No bubbles. It also has none of this, either, for which I am glad. ;)

Splashing children are not allowed in the bath tub with me, but they did take over the hot tub last week. They made sure there wasn't any dry body parts. Splash Zone at Sea World pales in comparison.

Check out more shots at The Paper Mama