A Portrait of my FAVORITE boy ever!

My boy brings me such joy. How do they do it? Such radiance, all from letting him sit in his favorite arm chair and hold on to his horse while getting his picture taken...and man, let me tell you this boy is such a poser! He is always so fun to photograph.

The Time Is Coming!

Been a bit crazy here at the house. People getting sick, trips to the doctors, people getting better, house getting messy, house getting messier, and finally house getting a bit cleaner and no posting...I am sure you have noticed at least the last part! And my trepidation is growing. The time is soon at hand that Aaron and I head out for our vacation to Ireland without the kids. I am SO excited to go back, but terrified to leave the kids behind. My mom is graciously going to be watching them while we are gone, so I know they are in good hands and all, but this is going to be for 12 days. That is a stinking long time to be apart from them. It's the longest we will have EVER been from them, and I just know I am going to be missing them crazy lots!
We are bringing Aaron's computer and leaving mine so we can video chat with them EVERYDAY. And I am sure they will have tons of fun with Grammie. They will be at home, in their comfort zone, so again I am sure they will be fine, I think it is me that won't be all that fine.
We have started to get everything rounded up that will need to go with us. I am trying REALLY hard to not pack the whole house up...going for only one pack a piece.
We have rented the lenses we want to take with us, we have gotten all the the gear we might need. And if it were up to me, I'd have all the clothes packed up. Only, the departure date isn't until the 2nd of March and I don't have enough clothes to have packed clothes and clothes to wear for this coming week.
Javin has been pretty stressed about this trip too. He has been telling me he wants to go to "Irrlan" with me ever five minutes. And if I put my shoes on, he tells me to take them off, and that I can't go to "Irrlan" with out him.
Orissa doesn't even know what is coming...I am SURE that is a good thing. Luckily, she is very fond of her Grammie and loves to spend time with her. As long as she gets to snack all day long and pick on her brother I am sure she will survive. The first couple of days will be a bit rough on all of them...but Mum has a bit of experience with kids...beings that she raised 8 of us!
Don't worry, or maybe do, there will be plenty of Ireland picture posts after we return. Until then, be happy and be safe and enjoy your life! Remember who you are and keep the commandments!

Super UGH Day!

Ok, so this is kind of a venting, having one of those days, post. I don't usually like to share what I am feeling when I am having a day or the frustrating things that happen, BUT really I think some times it is a good thing. You know, 'cause often my blog is full of all things amazing and my kids are the bomb and life here is ALWAYS peaches and cream, or chocolate and peanut butter, or what ever combination that is the most scrumptious to you my wonderful readers, but, well, hmm, life is real and some times tough! So, with that said here we go!
There is something that takes over (on occasion) that fills me with that feeling, you know, where the only word that fits and it is more a sound than a word UGH. I don't know what it is, but I feel a bit loser-ish and uncomfortable (I know, a bit melodramatic) in the life I have chosen. Only, today I think that feeling comes from frustrations with those two wonderful children that reside in my life.
Javin took the cake. I think he left his listening ears in his room under lock and key, because he sure wasn't anywhere near listening and obeying, he wasn't in the ballpark, heck he wasn't even in the same time zone. Usually I am pretty cool with the messes he makes, the joy he finds in all the mundane things of life. Today was NOT one of those times. He was willfully disobedient and he decided it would be SUPER cool and SUPER fun to climb into his sisters bed, dance and then EMPTY HIS BLADDER! Yes, that is right, I didn't make any typos, he decided that is would be funny (and his cousin encouraged this by giggling manically) to pee in Orissa's bed. Anger truly grabbed ahold of me. I sent him down the stairs to get the wet clothes off...and to get him OUT OF MY SIGHT.
I came down to put the bedding in the wash to find him standing buck naked on the toilet dancing. Again on an ordinary day I would have laughed and danced with him. I just wasn't feelin' it!
I mean, really? Pee in your sister's bed? What the heck!
Orissa spent the whole day whining, eating and chasing Javin and Shaylee around, only to hear them say, "NO BABY, go away baby!" I have to say that is one of my least favorite things that those two do every time they are together.
My house is a mess, the living room looks like a toy bomb went off in it, the kitchen is needing a bit of TLC and there is a stinkin' mouse that resides under the dishwasher. I JUST saw him climb out and pick up a cracker and scuttle back to it's den! UGH! That is my day.
I love my boy and I love my girl....maybe not their attitudes all the time, but them forever. I mean, look at them, they are beautiful gifts from my Father in Heaven.


I waited so long to have the joy of children in my love in my home and in my family, and here they are. I don't ever take them for naught, and I have to believe that I get frustrated and all those other emotions because I want them to grow up into the amazing people that I know they can be. And because I am AFRAID to fail them in some way.

Tooting One's Own Horn!

Hosted by Cecily and Michelle

So is it kosher to toot ones own horn? I mean, is there some sort of police force out there to stop me? Hope not! I try not to go on about how cool I am (mostly cause there isn't that much that I rock at), usually I like to boast about my super cool, (if not occasionally annoying) beautiful and perfect...nope no lightning on that one... children. Today however, that own horn is itching to be tooted!

I had the wonderful chance to take my niece Stella's portraits yesterday. This is only my second photo shoot, and granted it is family again...but I must say, I did a pretty stinking good job. Ok, so I have to give Stella the lions share, beings that she is so cute, and really how can you mess up with such adorableness on your side. Heck for that matter maybe I need to give the lions share to her and her parents, cause really it was them that made her so cute!


I had some ideas of my own and found inspiration on flickr for some of the others, but all in all it went well and was so fun. Thanks Monica and Clancy, for letting me disrupt your daily routine and take them. I am loving the portrait side of photography more and more. Maybe someday I will be able to do this for real...like all professional and stuff!

Soup's On!

Hosted by Cecily
When we were kids mum used to let us help out in the kitchen. I was helping to cook before I knew how to ride a bike. Sure I nearly cut off my finger when I was four, but that is another story for another day, this is time for soup. The other day I was in the living room trying, and I stress TRYING, to clean. Javin was running amuck all over the house shouting for help with this thing and that, so I was only paying attention with half an ear. Finally, after hollering the same thing over and over I came into the kitchen to find him on the bar stool, pulled up to the stove. He had half the spices pulled out of the cupboard with their lids off. Further inspection showed he had a sauce pan sitting on the burner. I calmly asked him what he was doing.
"I making soup mom. I told you, soup!" he happily replied.
"I see, what kid of soup is it?" I asked.
"Good soup! Yummy soup!" was his energetic reply.
Well, since my mum was letting me do this sort of thing, I figured with supervision, why not!
He poured!

(yes that is soy sauce...who knew it was used in soup!)
He dumped!

(lemon pepper...one of his favorites...I have had to hide that one, he thinks it goes into everything!)
(ginger..yup, ginger in the soup too)
He shook!

(the all spice...really don't think this should ever go in soup again, but he's almost four and he likes different things.)
He spilled!
(some pasta...it was a noodle soup..yum yum!)
(tomatoes...we use a lot of tomatoes in this house. I guess he noticed!)
He stirred!

He kept saying, "it needs sompthin, it needs sompthin!"
(aw, yes of course a half a cup of olive oil, that was it....why didn't I think of that!)
So we searched, he picked and he added, until there was a saucepan full of savory soup simmering on the stove.
This wasn't a mere science experiment, this was lunch!




I have to say, he was a bit heavy on the all spice, and it was more like a pesto sauce, but all in all it was pretty good and we all ate our soup!

He really went wild with the spices, see? And I didn't get the all spice in the picture cause he used it all up!
Since this first time he has insisted on making soup twice more. Each time he gets better...in fact, last nights dinner was thanks to Javin. (Okay, I helped, I cooked up the chicken he wanted added in, but the rest was all Javin!) I must say, this is a trend I am more than willing to encourage, who knows, maybe we had a future tome chef in our midst!

Oh gross stinky. You stinky!

Hosted by Cecily and ???

So I accidently hit the enter button after typing the title and so again I am a dork...but you love me for it...right! Hope this story lives up to the hype! Hehehehe!
The other day I heard Javin in the other room telling some one that they were, "Ooooh, gross, you stinky butt, need a change. I got a biaper! Don't worry I change you, you have stinky butt baby,that yucky!"
I really thought this must be him talking to his sister, but then remembered she was up taking a nap at the time, I couldn't figure out who he could possible be talking to.
So I went out into the living room to find him with a diaper open floor, the bucket of wipes open, and one in hand with his bear in front of him. I asked him what was up and he said, "My baby is yucky Mommy, he have a stinky butt, but change I it, I get the yucky off."





I then watched him go through all the steps of changing a "poopy stinky". I couldn't watching this touching moment without my camera pressed to my eye snapping the pictures off.
After the change was over he hugged his bear and said, "Now you no stinky anymore! I love you baby bear!" Now don't you think he will make a great daddy some day (like 20+ years from now that is)!
I have to wonder how often after a diaper change I do that, hold my little O in my arms and tell her I love her? Must have heard it some where, so I am gonna say it was from my awesome mommy skills!
He is so cute, I can't ever be mad at him for more than a few minutes, and can you blame me when he bees so cute! I know that isn't quite the right or proper grammar, but I always ask him how he bees so cute...kind of a mum Javin thing!

Oh and there is another Javin story on the horizon, so stay tuned for SOUPS ON!

Workin' on the New Year

A new year another attempt to keep a regular blog. I AM going to try though! I am not much on resolutions, but I am going to try to blog a bit more this year!
My brother and his wife recently had a new addition join their happy family (a Christmas eve babe). Stella Makayla...and boy she is a cute one.

Everyone loves her, and for good reason...she is precious! Ok, everyone might be a bit of a stretch, but everyone that has met her besides Orissa, who just isn't too sure of a being who is smaller and maybe even a bit cuter!