Not afraid to Use it

Noah has a shot gun which he loves.  I mean loves...however, he doesn't get to shoot it very much because he needs more than one adult preferably to supervise and both girls must be occupied in the house.  But on Labor Day, Nana and Papa came over for chili and a hot dog roast.  Lil was napping and Annie was occupied with Nana so Noah Thomas finagled Travis and Papa into taking him out shooting.  Their target, a watermelon which got a little too ripe in the previously hot week.


Poor unsuspecting watermelon...

Then it was my turn...Dad and Travis totally didn't think I could hit it

They were wrong

Sometimes I wonder...

As a Mom with a third baby who is just learning to walk, I watch her take her steps.  Sometimes she's steady and sure of where she is going and she gets there with no troubles.  Sometimes, she loses her balance, falls, and pulls her self right back up with no help from me.  Sometimes she falls and I don't interfere even though she struggles a little, and I know that she will get back up on her own and it will make her stronger, more sure of herself.  Sometimes, though, sometimes, she loses sight of where she is heading falls, gets up, falls again, and out of frustration she starts to cry and reaches for me to help pick her up.

Even though she could pick her self up again, sometimes, she just needs mommy or daddy's arms to pick her back up and tell her it is ok and she can do it.

It sometimes astounds me how much love I have for my children.  And then I think about the fact that my heavenly father loves me even more than than.

It's hard for me to comprehend and I lose sight of it sometimes. 

But I know that God knows my every step before I even take it.  And he is with me when I fall, even when I get up and move ahead. 

Sometimes when I fall (or fail) I feel like he is watching me, knowing that I am faltering, but that I will learn my lesson through my failures.  As a Mother, sometimes I watch my children try the same thing over and over and experience failure over and over, and I wonder to myself, why won't they just try my way? instead of having so much trouble.  Then I wonder if God doesn't feel the same way with his children.  He sees us try our ways time and time again, when if we would come his way our paths are so much simpler. 

But sometimes, when I fall and and feel like I can't get back up, that's when I can feel him picking me back up.  And you know what?  No matter what, no matter how many times I have fallen, everytime I reach for him, he's always there. 

Thanks Bub

My seven year old already thinks he is way too smart for his silly mother. He overheard me telling someone about how Annie is not a great sleeper at night.

When we got home, he looked at me very seriously, blinked a few times, straightened up his little glasses and said, "Mom, Annie is just nocturnal, that means she doesn't sleep at night."

Thanks Noah, Yes I am aware of what Nocturnal means.

So does that mean if she could sleep hanging upside down from a tree branch like a tiny fruit bat she would sleep? Hmmm... OK you know I am just kidding, well pretty much...

Awesome

I'm pretty sure I am a ROCK STAR and didn't realize it...

Why...you ask?

My room is often trashed (albeit by sippy cups and toys) but trashed no less

There could easily be a broken lamp or table leg thrown in the mix

I am followed by a group of (tiny) roadies who will scream or cry for my attention if necessary and often cheer when I enter a room

Said roadies emulate everything I do...dress like me, wanna wear my makeup, etc etc

You can often find me in the morning with blurry blood shot eyes, tousled hair, toting a ridiculously large coffee mug

Last but not least

I am often up till the wee hours of the morning "rockin" with a little party animal who has no regard to the noise level that is appropriate for that hour of the night

See? Rock star...

Now...where's my entourage?

PS...the first one of you who leaves a comment referring to the fact that I am also 30 and refusing to cut my ridiculously long hair...you're off the list...HA!!!

So Glad to Know...

I'm not the only Mommy who uses her remaining brain power for really important things like making up stories and playing tea party...and doesn't waste her remaining brain cells on things like remembering where she parked her car.

Why you ask?

I am the proud owner of a Silver Honda Pilot. Which yesterday happened to be parked directly across the parking lot from another Silver Honda Pilot.

I came out of the store and stood at my vehicle pressing my unlock button repeatedly and wondering why it wouldn't unlock and where did that license plate come from.

Ironically enough, there was another Mommy across the parking lot, pointing her key ring at MY silver pilot and wondering why it wouldn't unlock.

HA! We realized what we were doing at the same time and shared a good laugh.

Two words...Mommy brain

FYI

Did you know that in the amount of time it takes to answer the telephone a three year old girl can scale up a shelf in the pantry and retreive an entire large container of HOT PINK sparkling decoration sugar and proceed to spill the ENTIRE contents on the kitchen table and hardwood floor?

Did you also know that you would still have sugar crystals stuck to your feet even after you have swept, vacuumed, and mopped?

Did you also know that such sugar attracts ants? Also before said sugar is cleaned up, mysteriously mandarin organge syrup would be dripped down the steps.

Yes, it's a fact. A mess that takes 10 seconds to make can take a day and a half to clean up! HA!

Why yes, it's been a fun day here, why do you ask?

Good night all! Just keepin' it real!

Help me Out...(Pretty Please)

Hey friends...
I went to a great photo seminar in Nashville the other night and we did tons of new baby stuff. Problem is I need to print a few new ads with the new baby stuff and I need some newborns (less than 7 days old!) to do some quick sessions to use for a fall baby ad...

which brings me to the help part...if you are interested in your baby being a model for the ads, and would like to participate and you have a newborn or are due to deliver anytime before mid September leave me a comment with your email address and I'll send you some info.

I promise I will make this worth your time and effort! (hint..free stuff)

Second favor (sorry last one..I think) While at Nashville, I picked up a couple new backdrops and one I am wanting to do some sample shoots on would be perfect for a little boy less that 3...denim, cute hats, barefoot, easy peasy...no fancy outfits, just a few minutes of your time and it will be fun.

Thanks a million guys, and please only respond if you are OK with me using your child's photos in some email newsletters and some postcards (obviously their name, etc. will not be used!)