Monthly Archives: December 2014

Ive been really really slacking on taking pictures of Linc lately!  It’s soo bad and I feel like such a bad momma!

I usually ALWAYS have at least a handful of images from each month that I can sort through for his yearly album but since October… I really haven’t used my camera for anything other than sessions.

I do have a lot of cell phone images and a ton of videos.  He is a handful right now and his words and sentences and actions… oh my!  It’s GOLD… stuff I could never try to even capture on my own and in my own words.  Video is the only way I could ever do it justice.  However, I do need to remember to put my big camera to use of my own family!  I do need to sit down and work on his album again!  I need to make the time!

Tuesday and Thursday’s are our days!  We spend the time however we please, whether we are creating mischief around the house or bouncing back and forth the various activities he loves to do each week!

Yesterday my mom and I took him to see the big guy!  His first visit ever was AMAZING!  He was the perfect little elf and he adored Santa!  Last year… not so much!  He had full on stranger danger and the pictures are worth a million bucks.

I was a little worried this year.  Linc is a lot like me.  He likes to be prepared and know “the plan” for the day.  I started early with him this year and my  mom and I started talking up this visit on Monday night!  We gave him the run down of what he was going to do in a serious play by play kind of deal.

Tuesday morning, Linc was ready to go!  “I go see santa!!!!”

It was all he could talk about!

Let’s just say, this year was a success!  You be the judge:

LAST YEAR:

This year:

I think the santa talk up def. helped!!!

Bonus:  we even got a family pic!!!

So after our visit yesterday I’m feeling less like a scrooge and more into the Christmas spirit!  Who knows:  maybe I’ll even decorate the house this weekend!!!

 

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I’ve known these two for a long long time!  I’ve known Todd since before I can remember… elementary school days and I can’t even begin to tell you what class or grade we met in.  Maybe it was Ms. Jeavons class or maybe even before.  I do remember that growing up from the time I was at least 7 or 8, there wasn’t one class I didn’t have with Todd!  Our classes included from the time we graduated elementary to school through middle, high school, and on through college!

It’s funny because during our session, Shelley and Todd reminded me of the time that Todd drove a few of us home for Christmas break in college.  He had been telling Shelley the story of how he was being pulled over for speeding and how I was actually really excited in the back seat of the car because I had never been pulled over before!

What’s crazier is that I remember Shelley and Todd meeting!  I remember being in class with them both together!  I remember Shelley in middle school and all of us just grew up together, knowing each other’s stories!

It wasn’t until some time ago that Todd and Shelley started dating, got married and started their GORGEOUS family!

Growing up all together, I can’t believe we never thought of it sooner… Shelley and Todd together?!  They are so perfect for one another!  It’s easy to say… gosh we waited too long or why not sooner?  So many years gone by where we could have been with each other and shared that time together!

I really do believe though that timing is everything, and after meeting their two seriously handsome boys:  I know for SURE that the timing was absolutely spot on!

I don’t want to share too many of their session because I know it’s a holiday mini with pictures possibly being saved for Christmas cards and things!

So here are just a few of my favorites!!!

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Running a small service based business is hard!  It’s hard because there are so many little things can and usually pile up.

It’s especially hard running a business from your home: always distractions!  ALWAYS!

And as a parent:  constant distractions and worse the guilt over the balance.

Recently I’ve been doing really well with the balance.  In fact, I’ve been really proud of myself.  I don’t know if proud is the right word.  Maybe it’s happy, maybe it’s settled, maybe it’s relieved.  Either way… I’ve felt like I’ve been kind of flying lately with a sense of a really good give and take between home and photography life!

Of course, it’s always when I think this way that usually I’m put in my place really quickly and sh** hits the fan!

I’m usually reminded that balance is something to ALWAYS be striving for and is almost like a bit of a mirage at times.   You find it and then you lose it and strive for it again!

We are small business owners and one man companies!  We are our own team and we should be proud of all that we accomplish!

So I had a bit of a break down last night!

It happened over dishes that were left in the sink.  SOOO silly in the grand scheme of things right?!  I know we’ve all been there and we will all be there again!  It might not be the dishes but it will be some silly little thing that means absolutely nothing in the big picture.  It will be funny later, I know it will!

Business has been really great lately and for that I am not only grateful but I am truly amazed.  In fact… I’m kind of in awe of it.

I love my clients and I love all my families that allow me to capture all these giggles and snuggles and eskimo kisses!

It is something that not even my wildest dreams could ever imagine!  It’s truly incredible.  I really am living my dream and I’m so so thankful!

With all this work comes a LOT of responsibility.  I want to be everything my client’s need and more!  It’s a tall order to place on myself but they deserve it!

But I’m not JUST a photographer.  I’m also a mom, a wife and a body flow instructor.

So I have to learn to divide my time between all 4 of my roles!  This is where it gets a bit sticky.

This time of year is a bit crazy for ALL of my roles:  and I cherish each one… I need each one!

I don’t want to let anyone down!

I find myself with these crazy lists for each day!  If I could pick a character who I would most likely represent, I think it would be pig pen from charlie brown except instead of the dust cloud, I would have a cloud of sticky notes and notebooks and ripped out loose leaf over my head on a daily basis.  I’d trail highlighters and colored pens that put the rainbow to shame in my wake.

No matter how many lists I make, some things tend to get over looked or put off until later:  like the dishes (or the basket of folded laundry in the basket that sits on our bed).

I accept it because I know this has to happen!

It’s just for a short period of time and I have to appreciate this busy season while it lasts!

Sometimes in this business it’s feast or famine!~  So if the dishes are piling up and the house isn’t OCD tidy like I usually like it… so be it!  I choose to embrace this while it’s happening and be grateful for it!

I choose to recognize that THIS is life:  messy and wonderful and beautiful.

Dishes can wait:

Lincoln can not!  Those towers that get build so tall may not need my steady hand or help tomorrow.

The Laundry bins can sit:

My clients memories can not!  Life is too short and we need to savor each story as it is happening!  Document those moments while they are still fresh and alive!

Sometimes support means living life at it’s fullest and forgetting about the craziness, the clutter and the random.  It’s about accepting the adventures and embracing life for how the day unfolded!

So today:  those dishes will sit!  And I will not feel bad!

I will feel satisfied with all that I have accomplished at the end of the day, knowing that I spent the day well in memories and stories and giggles with my little man!~

There is a balance to this:  it just may not be the cleanest at times around my house~!

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  • December 19, 2014 - 5:54 pm

    ashey - You guys are ADORABLE! And love the teepee!ReplyCancel

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