Camping

Camping, check.

more pics to come.

Tater Tot

He has a summer bucket list as we are calling it.

Basically he made a check list of all the things he wants to do this summer and we are slowly checking them off.

This weeks plan: camping

I will say we better pick up the pace or we may run out of time.

E Babe

She's had the spotlight on my blog lately. Good & bad. I have some pictures to post of Tate next but I wanted to get these up first because of my last post. (These are the pictures I was referring to). Every once in awhile (95 % of the time) she will let me take her picture. Really she loves it. She loves people; she loves people giving her attention, and she will put on a show for it.

I can't even begin to put into writing how quirky this little girl is.

She is teaching me how to truly be patient, how not to react, how to walk away when enough is enough, how to keep loving deeper.

To smile from the inside out.

She is such a big spirit in such a little body. (I think that about both my kids, even though they are extremely different from each other).

These pictures will be blown up big for her room one day. I could sit and stare at each one for a long time. I love capturing more than just a moment into a picture. It's so much more than her just sitting on the concrete leaning up onto her little arms; it's that look she has in her eyes that makes me sit and wonder what she was thinking, her untamed curls & the hair that's always in her eyes, her expression on her mouth.

As a Mom & having a love for photography I find myself getting caught up in wanting to take pictures of every passing moment. I feel like if I do, I will always have a way to keep these moments alive with me. Because they are so much more than just moments. They are my life.

I know she is about to blink in this one, but I love her freckles.

D.A.D

Happy fathers day to my love and the dopest dad around!

Ahh.

I can't get enough of the sunshine, the flowers, and the smell of it all.

Last night I sat outside taking pictures of Ella, enjoying her.

Tonight I ran out of the house, getting away from her.

I sat on the front porch, relaxed by the wind storm.

No crying.

I heard the back door slam and Ella come screaming out onto the driveway looking for me.

I couldn't move.

Cole came to my rescue, took her back in the house.

I took a deep breath, walked back inside.

She was already asleep.

Can It Be?

It's finally feeling like summer is upon us. Finally.

These are the sort of days I love.

Naked bodies. Water. Sunscreen.

A little dirt.

Here is Ella doing what Ella does best: bugs!

She screams and yells at them. If it's one she doesn't like (anything but a polly polly) she will yell really loud "NAUGHTY BUG" followed by "SMASH YOU"

and that's the end of it.

T Ball

I woke up today and my baby boy is almost five years old.

Or so it feels.

Time. Please, just stop.

Old enough to be playing t-ball.

Taking nothing lightly: note his extreme concentration & tongue.

The Visitors

We've had company the last couple of weekends. It's strange to think of them as just visiting when they come home now, but nice because I feel like I'm on vacation while they are here; best friends around all day and all night.

Ella misses Lauren, aka her other mother.

Tate misses Mason, aka my brother.

Doesn't get any better.

paper. shoes. dirt

newspaper ads.

I had to include this one.

He was quickly flipping through the pages saying what he saw on the page.

It all happened so fast.

Just as I took the picture I heard him say "girls boobs" and as quickly as it came it was gone. He kept going, repeating what he was seeing.... only I have the evidence this time! :)

shoes. on the wrong feet.

dirt. on the face.

spring.

big dreams

The boys left for a quick trip to idaho to help with the move, leaving Ella and me behind for a little girl time. I was quickly reminded of the simplicity of life with one child. Huge difference. I can only imagine if we were to add a third. :) I'm thinking pure chaos.

After my photo shoots on Saturday she let me snap a few of her.

This is Ella in her truest fashion: Rash cheeks, dirt under her nails, bruise on her arm, and a cheesy little googly grin.

Our little girl with big dreams!

She made you smile, right?