Monthly Archives: November 2013

Yesterday was a day to be extremely thankful!  We watched the parade together as a family, we ate a LOT of delicious food, we sat around and laughed with family and marveled at the changes in our little man from last year to this year (baby to little boy!)

This was our third year hosting Thanksgiving at the Tucker house.  Our first year was quite the little to do~  I was pregnant, actually had just found out at the beginning of the month.  I was pretty blessed in my pregnancy to not have any morning sickness except on one day out of the entire 9 months!  That one day being Thanksgiving… of ALL days.  We decided to cook two turkey’s that year… fry one and bake one.  Let me just tell you, the smell of that turkey cooking in the oven was making me soo incredibly sick that despite the cold all I wanted to do was live and breathe outdoors!  I didn’t eat any food that year and we swore from that moment on; no more turkey’s in the oven…EVER!  At least in our home!

This year, I think my family was pretty proud of me, at least my husband should have been!  I love to host and while I love having people over to our house I can become an anxious, stress ridden hostess!  It’s not really fun for those closest to me (sorry hubs!)  This year however… I was really relaxed and I actually enjoyed the day!  I didn’t worry about the food or how clean our house was!  I guess having a toddler is helping me let go.

Look at that… maybe I AM learning to give in and bend a bit.  Maybe more so than I thought from my post on Weds!

I think I’m truly coming around now that we have our crazy little man to realize the beauty of all that this day has to bring.  I cooked (and thankfully so did my family!)  They shared the burden of the day almost to the point of cooking the majority of the dishes!  Tuck cleaned, I cooked and prepped in the morning with the helped of my mini little chef; and then the three of us sat on the floor and enjoyed the parade while Linc waved at the floats and danced to all the music.

Our family came over after nap time and thats when all the wonderful eating began!  Little man looked super dapper in his Thanksgiving outfit and he was the best little boy!

We had a wonderful dinner with wonderful conversation, even though little man’s table manners weren’t quite up to par with his feet sneaking up to the table top every now and then for our entertainment (or so he thought).

As we sat eating… I was reminded at how lucky I am to have such an amazing family that lives so close by.  I don’t take advantage of seeing them quite often enough.  Sometimes living just down the road means that our days get filled with the daily tasks of errands and jobs that I don’t just pop over like I often wish I would do.

As I sat at dinner last night, I hoped that maybe in this new year and new season I will do that more often!

Here are some photos of our little dapper dude… Tuck thought we should dub him Henrich for the evening… since he looked like he belonged in the sound of music!

That hair by the way… styled completely by the napping process!  I”m so thankful that this crazy little boy will tolerate me and my camera.  He will smile for me and pose for me and even sometimes ham it all the way up and appease me by giving me his “fabio” look or his “super toothy smile!”

I’m also thankful for Tuck!  He’s our glue around this house and I’m not ashamed to admit that he holds us all together and keeps us from fraying at all the wrong ends.  He’s amazing and he does so much for us each day.  We aren’t one of those couples that are very public about our relationship.  You won’t find us on facebook doting about our spouses did this or that.  Tuck and I aren’t quite the romantic couple, ours is more giggles and snorts and laughter!  Tuck shows his love and appreciation for us every day by his actions and all that he does to take care of us!  It’s the small and subtle things that make such a huge difference and he does them without a second thought!  It might not be flowers, and chocolates and bubble baths over here but it is a love that is amazing and sweet and one that will last!

Tuck’s getting ready to head out for a few days in preparation for a longer working deployment and we are surely going to miss him around here.. even if this time is only a few simple days!  Little man had to soak up some kisses and we are soaking up as much as we can!

He’s got the best kissing little face right now and although he’s picky about when and where… when he does it’s love fest!

Peek a boo game break!  He’s so funny, he knows he is supposed to cover his eyes but he’s such the little comedian he likes to cover his ears instead!  Anything for a giggle!

Last but not least, I had to try and get in to one shot with my boy.  Since I’m home with him the most he’s not one for hanging with momma on the days we have company, company he knows anyway.  If he’s unsure of his situation… it’s ALL mama!  I’ve come to terms with the fact that anytime daddy is home though,, I’m old news and it’s see ya later mama, hence the fact that little man is trying desperately to run away from me and into his daddy’s arms!  The plight of the mom… always there for cuddling when the baby needs but when the mama wants a hug or a kiss its just plain embarrassing! 🙂

Hope your family had a wonderful thanksgiving and that your weekend is filled with nothing but relaxing warmth and holiday cheer!

This week on the blog:  a super rad rocker family session, a gorgeous bridal session, and the tools that helped me this year jump start my business into a legit level where I felt I could truly call myself a professional!

Enjoy your weekend everyone!

Last week was just one of those weeks you know!  Do you ever have  those weeks where anything and everything that could go wrong does go wrong!  And it doesn’t just go wrong, it goes epically wrong!

We had one of those epically wrong weeks last week where I just kept thinking, please can I go back to bed and get a do over!

But the greatest things about having those kind of weeks (or days even) is that when everything settles and clears, you learn just how much you do have to be grateful for!  You see how much of your just plain old everyday you really should appreciate.

I’m a brand new mom and I think I will keep that title of brand spanking new, “newbie still trying to figure it out” new mom until Linc’s probably waay into his teen years.  Heck probably until I’ve sent him packing off to college or even later! I say this because I still haven’t grasped the concept of letting go.  I never realized that I love to live by a schedule and have a plan for my day and if something changes… I kind of freak out a bit.  Having a baby changes all that.  You just simply can not have a stead fast schedule!  You have to be willing to be flexible and bend and go with the flow.  You have to be willing to change from plan A to plan B and even to plan Z if the need arises.  I’m still learning to switch my plan A to plan B… and not grit my teeth!

I’m learning, I’m still a work in progress!

Last week taught me more than anything about appreciating the process!  As much as I am Lincoln’s teacher and guide and protector… he is mine!  Last week taught me to appreciate all the little things I get to learn from him.  He teaches me about being in the moment and loving whatever the moment might be just for it is.  He guides me in learning to let go bit by bit… to let go, let loose and just breathe!  He protects my heart and my soul by helping me see the fun in life and living again through his curious and adventurous eyes!  Last week helped me remember all that.

Last week also taught me to appreciate all the little moments I have with him… big, small, tough and wonderful!  It taught me that the tough moments are some of the moments that looking back I will probably love and be thankful for the most.

So when the end of the weekend came (or the beginning of the new week began however you see it) and Sunday rolled around… that blustery, FRIGID cold Sunday… I took a moment to reflect on our crazy, awful, no good week!  I reflected, and then I wrote myself a note that I posted on the side of my bed.  It’s just a small note reminding me to be grateful for all the little things I’m learning as a new mother.  To appreciate all the moments that are given to the two of us as mother and son and as a family of three.  That with each week:  beautiful or challenging, there are still seconds of grace and wonder and magic.

I taped that note right where I could feel it when I roll out of bed in the morning and right where I would notice it as I put my book to rest as I go to sleep at night.

I taped that note Sunday afternoon, and then I joined my family outside in the frigid cold weather for a game of ball and a few pictures!

I’m so thankful for each day with this little boy!  He’s getting to be so big and so playful.  He is ALL boy and he is a wonderful, crazy handful.  He’s the best mix of Tuck and I; and there are days that I still can’t believe he’s ours to keep!

 

Little Mia came over on a Sunday morning and completely stole my heart!

I’m a HUGE fan of cake smash sessions; they happen to be one of my favorites!  But as much as I love cake smashes, sometimes the adorable little models just aren’t as excited as I am once we get started.  If you really think about it, the whole thing has to be a little weird for them.  We tell them all the time not to smash things, or throw things and then here we are letting them play with their food and encouraging the smashing and throwing and eating!  Plus we let them do it on the floor and not in the typical food acceptable places!

Mia though, she was ALL about the cake smash!  Not only is she absolutely gorgeous (I mean come on, those eyes!!!) but she was completely IN to this session!

We set up a completely girlie shoot with a barbie pink background! I even brought out Linc’s little chevron rocker so we could get a few of little Mia while she was so fresh and clean in her pink little tutu with multi-colored pom poms!

The BEST part about Mia Moo’s cake smash was that her interest never lost it’s hold!  At first she loved exploring the cake and clapping it around the paper and smearing it around her hands!  She loved to dig at the frosting with her spoon and picking off each of the colorful sprinkles.  The BEST part though was when she realized she could actually eat the cake!  Her facial expressions were priceless as she gobbled up bites of the delicious blue inside and the sweet sugary frosting!

Mia, you were a gorgeous little model with so many different expressions!  Your mommy and I had a BLAST watching you explore and dance all around that morning!  Thank you for all the giggles you gave us and I can’t wait to see you grow this next year!

Here are a few of my favorite from our session together!  Mia kept running back and forth from the backdrop to her momma for cake covered kisses and frosting hugs!  But she didn’t stay too long in her momma’s arms while the cake awaited her smashing!

  • November 25, 2013 - 1:12 pm

    Victoria Koenig - Ahhhh! As I said, I’m obsessed!!!! Thank you for being so incredible – we are going to cherish these pictures forever!ReplyCancel