Counting Stars...

I am somewhat on a One Republic Counting Stars kick... And by somewhat I mean completely obsessed. It makes me want to do something! Be productive! Stop counting dollars and start counting stars!

On to other things. Tonight I went through photos from past shoots. To see the transformation in my photography from last year at this time to now is astounding. It makes me feel empowered! Like, shouting from the rooftops "LOOK HOW MUCH I'VE LEARNED" empowered. I am so unbelievably excited to see where my photography is by this time next year. Especially since my wonderful hubby gifted me a beautiful D610 for Christmas. He's in the running to be the star player in my "Favorite Things of 2014" list. Right along with Rocky Road ice cream (which I just discovered last year... How did I ever go without this godly concoction????), beautiful sunsets, beach days, and online shopping.

Now... Updates on my Little Monsters, who, let's face it, are quickly becoming not so little.

Mason Luke is now 8 years old, in the second grade, and a computer whiz. Not to mention, he is one good looking kid. And pretty hilarious to boot. (He gets all of the above from yours truly.)

Brady Parker is now 4 years old (and quickly approaching 5), in k-4, stinking hilarious, and quite the ladies man. I cannot keep up with how many girlfriends he has had and he has a new girl he plans on marrying every other week. This kid is going to be trouble when he hits puberty. And I am going to be one crazy mother-in-law one day. I don't like it. 

And Ethan Cole.... My baby. My caboose. My hell on wheels, gonna give me a heart attack before I'm 35, crazy, hilarious, sweet when he wants to be, boy. The kid is a mess. And very sneaky. You have to watch this one. CLOSELY. The kid fell out of a second story window! You read that right. FELL. SECOND STORY. Just thinking about it makes me sick to my stomach all over again. Scariest moment of my entire life. NOTE- He is FINE. He didn't have a single scratch on him. Yes I rushed him straight to the emergency room where they looked him over meticulously and responded with a "He is a boy and things will happen" to my heavy sobbing and freaking out and just knowing that DHR would be on their way (especially since we were in the SAME emergency room the weekend prior to this with the SAME KID who had just took a header into the entertainment center and had a knot the size of a golf ball sticking out of his forehead). Did I tell you the kid was going to give me a heart attack????? I wasn't joking!

He is my sweet, momma's boy. My nightly snuggle buddy. My love. My heart. My one way ticket to crazy town.

And just because it cracks me up and is too sweet not to share...

Brother love.

Good night, all. Time to count some stars.

Life

Sometimes I find myself second guessing a large portion of my life choices. I suppose this is pretty common for folks. Especially at this time of year. The year is wrapping up and you start to evaluate where you are in comparison to where you started. If we look at my year in those terms, I suppose it was a good one. I mean, we moved into our new home, I landed the job I had been chasing for a solid year, the boys are healthy and, for the most part, happy.

But do those things really equal out to 2013 being a "good" year? 

I am grateful for my many blessings, but I can't help but wish for something more. Not more in a material sense, but more in a fulfilling sense. 

I had such high hopes for my future when I was younger. College, living on my own, meeting a nice guy, traveling, getting married, having the good career, and having babies. 

Of course, I didn't quite take that path. I, being the stubborn person that I am, took the hard road. Do I regret that decision? Nah. Do I know that it would have been a million times easier had I done things differently? Absolutely. 

I suppose my hard road makes me more inclined to WANT to show my children how to live their lives with passion and purpose. I WANT to be able to live my life in a way that encourages them to follow their dreams.

I suppose I am getting a jump start on goals for 2014. I want so badly to get back to me. I feel so off course and somehow strange to myself now that I can barely recognize myself. I don't want to be a shell. 

And I certainly do not want my boys to grow up into shells of their former selves. 

Recent Happenings and Such!

LOTS of stuff happening!!! Exciting stuff!

We are in the process of buying a home, so boxes and newspaper have slowly taken over our home. (FYI- Packing with small children should be an automatic pass for free service from a moving company. Preferably one of the ones who pack up your stuff for you. And moves it. And sets it all back up. And all of that jazz. Does one of those companies exist? Please GOD tell me yes!)

What else is happening.... Photo sessions! Lots of photo sessions. And editing. And planning Christmas mini sessions. And looking at precious faces like this every evening as I edit while eating oreos and listening to Journey which we all know leads to interpretive dancing and not a lot of editing.... Or is that just me?

Oh goodness. Isn't she adorable????

Back to the point.

I also started a new job, which means a lot less free time then before.

But! As soon as we get moved I fully intend to dive head first back into blogging and more so into the photography! I am so excited! Be on the lookout for new and exciting things, because they are coming!

Samantha

Hello. Is it me you're looking for?

Guess who's back.... It's me!

My little family has LOTS going on right now (including a house FINALLY, a new job, more photography, and more little boy shenanigans), but I am making it a point to get back on the horse.

So hold on to your britches, folks. Samantha's back! 

Weeball has Begun!

Tuesday night we had our very first Weeball practice (Weeball= Teeball for kids who are right under being too young for actual teeball).

To say Brady Parker loves it would be an absolute understatement. The kid was into it BIG TIME.

If the coach said run, the kid ran.

Jump, he jumped.  

And when it came time to bat..... Brady Parker was all business.

He took this practice about as serious as I take my Starbucks. And that, my friends, is serious.

I am so glad that he loves it. I am also glad that he is so willing to participate and be such a good sport. He ran for the ball every single time even if he was nowhere near it and he never once got upset that he didn't get it.

After they ran the bases, Brady lined up on the fence with his pals and told each one of them that they did a great job.

 (insert huge, proud mom grin here)

The kid is one of a kind. I cannot wait to see what the rest of the season holds!

Second practice tonight!

Go Weebles!



Goats, WeeBall, and Ladies In Bubble Baths...

Do you know what I hate.... I hate when the entire weekend is insanely cold ( Mobile- 50 = insanely cold) and then Monday rolls around and it is gorgeously sunny and in the high 60s. What kind of crap is that!

Now... What did we do this weekend. Exciting stuff! That's what!

Thursday I started off the day how every normal human being starts their day. By photographing a chick in a bubble bath.

You read that right. Through a lot of experimenting I have figured out that boudoir sessions are my absolute favorites. Everyone loves to get dressed up and feel good about themselves and I love getting to capture that. Plus they are fun! So, that is how I started off my weekend. Photographing a lady in a bubble bath. Perfection.

The rest of the weekend was pretty uneventful. I ate my weight in strawberries and nutella while editing the bubble bath boudoir session.

My youngest heathen, otherwise known as The Spawn, chunked the remote at our bedroom tv and shattered the interior. Phenomenal.

 It was freezing outside so getting out wasn't really happening and staying in was resulting in broken tvs and breaking up more fights that the production crew on Flavor of Love. (Remember Flavor of Love????? Don't lie! You know you do!) Sunday, finally, it cleared up enough for us to get out a little. The boys raced rolling down a hill at one of our local public gardens while I photographed the happenings and quietly thanked Jesus for allowing me the opportunity to get those kids out of the house before I sold them as slave labor.

Then, oh and then. Then Mr. Brady Parker became the newest member of the Weebles WeeBall team. For those who are unaware, WeeBall is TeeBall for 3 year olds since TeeBall starts at 4.

Number 2 will be taking the field in just a few short weeks!

So, I officially a Ball Mom. Someone give me my minivan and mom jeans! Maybe not the mom jeans, but I will be rocking that Mom of #2 tshirt like it's never been done!

Gear up for copious amounts of ballpark photos, baby. Cause they're coming!

Who's ready for Spring! Because I am definitely feeling it this morning!

Blah.

This morning, while riding down the road in the pouring rain, I listened to my 3 year old speaking "T-Rax" in the backseat. T-Rax, if you didn't know, is apparently a series of grunts and growls used to communicate with a T-Rex. I, of course, needed him to translate. Which, unfortunately, is how I feel about a lot of talking going on around me lately.

I feel like a zombie. I get up, get everyone dressed, take everyone where they need to be, work, pick everyone up, take everyone home, and then get everyone through the evening and ready for bed.

It's automatic.

It's a schedule.

Every. Single. Day.

I feel like I am about to hit a wall. A very large, glitter free wall.

I feel like the sparkle is gone. How do you have sparkle when every single day is planned out? I feel like my sparkle is gone. Our small living space has completely zapped me of any creative juices. The chilly, rainy weather has zapped me of any adventure.

I feel like a shell.

I need change. I need creative outlet. I need warmth. I need space!

Is it spring yet?