Baby Jonas

Isn't he adorable. This is my newest nephew Jonas, so of course I am not bias at all! I especially love being an aunt, I get to do all of the fun stuff (like take pictures) and then give them back when they cry! :)
Jonas was good the entire shoot but at the point when we got him naked things really got exciting. He was so smiley with no clothes on! Thank you Anna for being such a good prop.

My Girly Girl!

OK, I know I give her a hard time; do you think it is a little much that her nick name is Chaos?
Seriously though, what other 20 month old would let me do this!? I am having too much fun with her, it makes up for everything else.
My husband kept asking things like: Doesn't she already have curly hair? or How long do you leave those things in for?. But, Rachel had no problems with it at all, and Mom was having a blast. All you have to do is say the words "Oh, Pretty" and Rachel will probably be game for whatever. She loves to get her fingers and toes painted, and she sits perfectly still through the whole process!
I could raise 100 hundred boys (Spencer is so easy!) but they don't get near as excited at the thought of high heels!

Spencer, A Handsome Stud!

Spencer just loves the camera!
I am so lucky to have Spencer. He is a great balance to Rachel and he is at such a fun age. I love to see the wheels turn in his head as he starts to comprehend bigger concepts. He can't get enough of reading and has been memorizing many of the books we read.
It always surpises me what their little minds pick up on. Sometimes he says things that I have no idea where they come from. For instance, this past week we were expecting Grandma, Grandpa and Aunt Kathryn to join us for dinner, but to a 4 year old they were taking forever to get here. After complaining that they were never going to make it, he sat looking out the window. When I asked him a question he said: "I am just watching the world go by."
I love being a MOM!
With Spencer there are things you hear you never expected to hear and there are things you say that you never, in you wildest dreams of parenting, expected to say. Spencer enjoys a consistant routine which consists of waking up at seven zero zero. Which I have to admit is not my favorite part ofthe routine, I do much better after 7:30am. Well, much to my surprise yesterday he slept in until 8:15! My first thought was, YEAH, but that was short lived. For the next hour or more he had a tantrum concerning the fact that we wouldn't turn the clock to 7:00am. He needed to wake up at 7, and that was that! Although we were tempted at times throughout this tantrum to change just one clock to settle him down, it would have made the many morning to follow such a nightmare it woldn't have been worth the moments we saved that morning. So we went on to explain that if we changed the clocks we would be late to do things like play with friends. And even if you change one clock you can't change all of the clocks. Some clocks even get time through a satelite in space and we can't change them. Nothing seemed to help, he just wanted it to be 7:00 when he wakes up. I never thought I would have to say: "No, we can not change the clock back to seven zero zero, and I am not changing my mind!"

Rachel

Isn't she cute! It has been months since she has let me put a headband in her hair and I just love it, especially with the huge flower! I just couldn't resist taking her picture. Luckily my children are really great when Mom has the urge to pull out the camera, again. Not to mention having a girl gives me an opportunity to play with my swirls in photoshop, I just love that look.
Rachel has had a big week. She has no fear and by doing some risky trick horse moves, this past week, she managed to give herself a concussion! It was the worst thing as a parent to have your child pass out in your arms. I am so grateful Derek was home so that I had someone to lean on, I Love You. She is fine, and bounced back quickly. But she sure had one headache!

Just like Mom

Isn't this so cute!
It drives me crazy when I read or hear people say that we teach our children to play with girl/boy things. I always think to myself "then you must not have any children!"
Rachel always wants to do whatever I am doing from drinking from the same glass as I am, even though hers has the same drink .... to doing makeup right next to me. I admit that at times it can really get on my nerves but at times like this I love to watch her play pretend mommy.
She was so cute to get the diaper and wipes out all by herself, it was all her idea too. Do you ever wonder what is going on inside their cute little heads?

Ben and Amber

Thank you Ben and Amber!
We had so much fun taking their picture the other night. Trenton and Tyler did such a great job, and I even forgot my coolest photo toys. I was so proud of them. I love them so much.
Amber had introduced me to the "Duck Park" (as we call it) a short time ago and at first site I told her that I HAD to take some ones family picture there. She was so nice to let it be hers.

I DID IT!

Happy Birthday Grandma!

It was my Grandmother's 80th birthday this past weekend! We had an incredible surprise party for her that I was asked to make a three tiered cake for and I was thrilled for the opportunity. I had never made a cake of such size but I am pretty stubborn and set my mind to do it. I had made a two tiered cake before so the theory wasn't new. If you would ever like to know why your wedding cake cost so much give me a call.
I was completely surprised at how well it turned out! I love that feeling of setting your mind to something and having it turn how just how you wanted. And now I can say that "I CAN!"
Thank you Derek for all of your wonderful support! I Love YOU!

Making Cookies

Isn't he adorable. I can't wait until he is embarrassed by me saying those types of things. Spencer wanted to make train cookies. Do you have a recipe for train cookies? Let me know if you need mine. I have one for Train cookies, Train Biscuits, Train Sandwiches; just about everything can be maid by putting a train in front of it and it will taste amazingly better than the other version.
This time we just made Sugar Cookie Train Cookies. I mostly just want the frosting while Spencer eats them without frosting because that covers up the parts that make it look like trains.
Besides the frosting my favorite part of making train cookies is making them with Spencer. He is a very able cook for four years old. I can, and have just stepped way back and given instructions to him to let him do it on his own. He just needs to know how much of what. He can even crack an egg all by himself. I know what you are thinking ~She is crazy!~ Please, like I have never heard that one before.
I love watching him grow up and gain so many talents and skills. I am very proud of all that he is mastering and love give him those opportunities to grow.
I also love watching him taste cooking. He is so funny! He loves to taste whatever it is we might be making: cookies, bread, biscuits. I get a real kick out of the fact that he will willingly taste the shortening but I can't get the kid to taste dinner without the fear and threat of seeing it again.
What a funny kid!

Isn't she cute

I just had to show you this adorable girl. She is my niece, Ana. I took this picture the other day at her house, just for fun. Thank you Ana!
I am having bunches of fun with my photography, I love making things like this!

GROSS!!!!

Tonight after dinner I asked Derek if we could have a dance, not a common occurrence in our house. We turned on some music and started to dance. Spencer was not impressed. About thirty seconds into dancing Spencer suggested: "I need to give you guys some fresh air" and started waving his hands in our direction with a somewhat of disgusted face. Derek and I couldn't help but laugh, was this the little kid version of "get a room"; but since we didn't stop neither did he. His next response still makes me laugh, "I am going to go to my bed, I can't take all of this dancing" and he walked off, heading for his bed.
LOL
It is nice to know that we can gross him out at such a young age, I thought for sure we had a couple more years.
It makes me think of a well quoted movie: "Emperors New Groove"
Pacha: No you two can stay up, were just going to be sitting here telling how much we love each other, right honey?
Kids: Ewe...Ugh..Goodnight!

I'm Back

I just wanted to let you know that I have arrived back on Earth. You may be asking where I have been. I spent a little time in 'Crazy'. If you have never been there you really should. It doesn't take much planning to get there and actually less planning helps. It isn't expensive and there is no need to make reservations. Let me know if your are going I may join you!
In the last three month while I have been in 'Crazy' Rachel has been very busy. She has earned two master's degrees. One in chairs, and the other in Toilets. I think she actually feels most comfortable with the veiw from on top of things and if you know her, she lives for splashing. Needless to say this has made mom a little crazy! Hence the trip!