Baking at my House...

This is what any cooking project looks like at my house. Ingredients and utensils spread through at least 3 rooms, barefooted babies on my countertops, sink full of dirty dishes,

and very hungry and impatient boys who do not understand cooking/cooling time. It really is so much fun any time we stir something up.

Very excited about:
1. Getting my TERYX back tomorrow - all decked out, then leaving for Sand Mountain to get it all dirty again.
2. Going to Texas very soon for Wyatt and Kylies' baptisms & to check out some places to live in the McKinney area, visit with my family, play some Texas Hold 'Em with Ray.
3. School starting. Still excited about that!

First Day of School...

Here's Nate on his first day of Kindergarten. He's so excited.















On our way to school...









How cute is our neighborhood!


Then, when we got to school...
The extremely big & ridiculously heavy backpack had started to wear on Nate.
He wasn't about to complain! He loves his backpack! Just thought this was funny looking...




















Really hoping today is going well for him! He's got so much energy & enthusiasm.
( Mom is very happy about school starting :) Woo Hoo! )

New Logo...

New Logo. Worked way too long on this. It's always so much easier for me to come up with designs for other people. Why is that? I was going in way too many directions, but finally here it is! Let me know what you think...

Now I can move on to the more important (and fun) part of building this business just how I want. I'm loving this. You know, retirement. After teaching a whopping 3 years in public education. Retirement has been a dream come true so far :)

More from Tahoe...

So here are some of my favorite photos, straight from the camera.

Nate & Brayden riding their 50's at dusk.















My husband. The biggest kid of all. Love him!














My TWO lunches from Dragonfly. Yum!














Kim & I after following the boys in the dirt all day. We were just a little dirty ourselves!














Great time! Good to be home to mountains of laundry.

Love This!

So here is my new toy...




This last trip was my favorite camping trip because I could follow John & the boys around & take all the photos my heart desired. Which was a lot! I'll post some later today. There are a bunch! Also wanted to show yall a before picture of my TERYX. John is having some modifications done to it this week. (I'd say it's being MOMified, but he'd be offended.) We're having a bench seat put in the back for the little guys, more lights put on top, new seats & more than I could ever ask for. I absolutely love it! We had a blast getting it all dirty & broken in.

Off to Tahoe...

We're off to Tahoe. John likes to spoil me. But not the usual gifts a husband would give his wife. Not flowers or even jewelry. But then again, I guess I'm not a typical wife in that sense either. John likes to surprise me with things that require gasoline & has fancy rims. I'll be sure to post some pictures of it when we get back from our trip. I love it! And I love you too, honey. You spoil me rotten!

And just so you know, I'll be at Dragonfly on Saturday with my TWO orders of lunch. Yum!
Good times to come...

Never again...

I am never again drinking an energy drink! I felt a little low on blood sugar yesterday. We were at the dirtbike shop and I was desperate for something to help... I drink this mysterious-blue-labeled energy drink. (Not one I had seen before. I love Guava Rockstars, by the way). So I gulp down HALF of this drink & I'm feeling better. The rest of the day goes "normal" (as normal as can be for me). After everybody's in bed, I get to work on my photos, website stuff, marketing stuff, you name it... I look up & it's 2:00 in the morning. Oops. So I crawl in bed expecting to fall asleep immediately. Not happening. Finally around 3:00 I can't take it anymore, I get up & write down all my new ideas that just popped in my head from last hour, work a little more... I crawl back in bed around 4 as John's alarm clock is going off. (He & Brad have this new tradition of riding their dirt bikes really early, so us wives don't complain too much.) So John leaves around 4:30 and I finally fall asleep... until Nate crawls in bed with me around 6. What a night! Weird! I wonder what would have happened to me if I drank the whole can! And where were these things when I was in college?!? Needless to say, I got a lot done last night. All my prints/books ordered. Should be here this week! Hooray!


I shot this handsome little guy the day before I left for TX. He & his mom were so fun!












Then Monday, I shot this beautiful couple. There were a bunch from this session that I love. But I know I'm rambling, so here's just a few:

Airport to Reunion with 5 pictures left...

These just make me laugh. When John picked me up from the airport, we headed straight to his family reunion in SF. I didn't get a chance to empty my CF cards for my camera, so I only had 5 pictures after my week in Texas! F-I-V-E. Not fair.

So I really had it in my head that I wanted a shot of each of the boys with the Golden Gate Bridge in the background. Here's me, the paranoid mom: "Okay, be really careful! This hill is kind of steep. I'm only going to take one picture - so look handsome. Just be REALLY careful!" I laughed so hard when I got these home & up on my screen. I love how the word "careful" does not register in just one of my sons' vocabularies.

Back in SAC. Bummer.

I spent the most wonderful week in Texas.

***

A few days after his accident, I promised my brother-in-law, Ray, that I'd be there when he came home. After surviving a horrible motorcycle accident, a few weeks in a coma, several surgeries, and a mountain of other obstacles to overcome - Ray is home! After 13 weeks! He actually got to come home a little early. He'll be going back as his body is ready to handle more surgeries. He's one tough man! Ray suffered a traumatic brain injury & is still working to heal. I believe that pRAYers have gotten him this far. I have faith that he will walk again. He's amazing. He taught me how to play Texas Hold 'Em, good ol' fashion Dominoes, kept me laughing with his constant jokes, and was such a blessing to be around. Thanks Ray! I miss you.

I also had a blast with my nieces & nephews. I took a ton of pictures of them.
How could I resist barefeet & tutus? Impossible!