My AMAZING Weekend

Can I just tell you that I just had one of the most fun, fulfilling & exciting weekends EVER?!?! I had an absolutely UNBELIEVABLE time at my photography workshop. I made FABULOUS friends who I feel like I've known forever, learned soooooooooooo much & came away with a new lease on life. I definitely feel empowered & set free in my photography. I've made friends who I will have forever & I stayed up WAYYYYYY to late chatting about shooting (pictures that is), kids & everything in between.

Here are a few of us at the end of our whirlwind weekend....the SPECTACULAR Cheryl Muhr, the oh so hip, fun & uber cute Lindsay S. (direct from the UK), one of my new VERY bestest friends who is like me is sooooooooo many ways & who I wish was my next door neighbor....the gorgeous Rachel T. & me.

Stay tuned for some of the images from my fun filled weekend....

In other news....

Just had to quickly report that I'm off to a FABULOUS photography workshop this weekend. I'm sooooooooooooo excited. Haven't been this excited about something in a LONG LONG LONG time. Yippee!!!

Have an awesome weekend...I know I will!!! :)

The Walker:Part II

Ok, I know I JUST posted about little B walking, but I just can't help posting another few pics. Kids are just sooooo cute when they first start to walk with their little arms up in the air for balance & those slow, awkward steps. She has been DYING to get out in the cul-de-sac with her big brother & sister, so I trailed after her with my camera as she waddled around.

Doesn't she look like she is ice skating here? :D

And of course, who can resist a closeup....LOVIN' those pouty lips...smooch!

Looks who's walkin'....FINALLY!

Little B has technically been able to to walk for quite some time now. She stands and has been taking steps for months, but it wasn't until last Sunday that she FINALLY decided to really give it a go. My bet is that the LONG pink dress I put her in finally pushed her over the edge...it was just too difficult to crawl in. This has been sooooooooo different from my other two. Once they figured out how to walk, they pretty much never looked back (especially Miss Z who walked at 10 months!) So B, welcome to the world of walkers...it will be nice to see some clean knees again. :D

(ok photog friends, forgive the SUPER high grain...this room had SERIOUSLY low light!!)

Don't you just LOVE how they hold up their little arms for balance???

AND since chubby thighs are only acceptable in babyhood & because those toes are so irresistibly delicious...here is my favorite shot of the day....

Bubba D & the Divine Miss J

Sound like two absolute opposites don't they. These two lovely people, however, are firmly ingrained in the fabric of my life. And it just so happens that today is their birthday. 18 years ago the Divine Miss J & I (yeah we've been friends that long & then some) were sooo excited to find out that little Bubba D would be arriving on Miss J's birthday! What a gift! I always considered Bubba D "my baby"....I was 13 after all, perfect age to love on a baby & he was such a good one! I remember packing him around all over the place. How can that possibly have been 18 years ago? (sigh)...I am getting old...here is is a big senior & all growed up. Love ya Bubba & Happy Birthday.

And of course he can NEVER stay serious for more than 2 seconds.....please stop the pictures!!!

(Miss J I LOVE you too, but I know you'd NEVER forgive me if I posted the pics I have of you! I resisted scanning some really cute ones from 6th grade. HELLO BANGS! ;) I REALLY need a current one of you in all your gorgeousness. Happy Day my friend!)

Slow Down

Is anyone else feeling like their life is on a runaway train, speeding and careening rapidly out of control? That has been me lately. Too much to do, not enough time to get it done...this week as I hurried to get the kids lunch & was busily running about the house completing this task or that, I happened to glance over at little B who fell asleep right here:

This is something each of my kids has done about ONE time in their little lives...they like to sleep in their BEDS & pretty much no where else. So I was surprised to see her like this. Poor sweet baby. So scooped her up, cuddled her, buried my nose in her chubby little neck, smelled that delicious baby smell & then tucked her into bed.

I think it is time to get off the train, or at least slow it down.

April Fools

Miss Z was WAY into foolin' this year. In fact this is the first time she has actually really "got it". She came home from school yesterday saying, "Guess what??? Tomorrow's April Fool's Day! We get to trick each other!" Then she proceeds to gear up with all her silly jokes. Here is a small sample of what we heard today...

(as we are driving) "Mom, there is a lizard crossing the road!!!! ..........April Fools!"

"Hey Mom, there is a tree growing in our house.......April Fools!"

"Mom, look out the window, it's snowing! .............April Fools!"

"Watch out Mom, there's a spider on your head! ..............April Fools!"

"Moooom, don't look now, there is a monster behind you! ...........April Fools!"

(in case you were wondering, it was crazy hair day.)

Silly girl. :)