When the Saints Go Marching in….

Before I started the business I used to photograph the children ALL THE TIME…. to the point they would run from the camera when it came out, but now it’s usually iPhone pictures of them at events.  I’m editing client photos all day every day that the kids portraits have suffered.

I have been wanting to photograph them for a while and we recently finished our 1st shoot.  Tomorrow is All Saints Day and the kids will be dressing up as Saints with friends and classmates for an event at the Church….  I was thrilled at their eagerness and enthusiasm for jumping back in front of the camera.  They wanted to pose, they took direction and they wanted to do well.  As a result, I think we captured some truly phenomenal shots and I can’t wait to photograph them again.  I thought they each did an incredible job portraying their saint.  This afternoon will be the Halloween costume shoot and soon to follow the Christmas card shoot.  What I used to dread, I am now eager about.

In creating the saint costumes…. it totally helped having photography props!!!  My red rose crown for Saint Rose of Lima, my shredded muslim skirt for Saint Joan of Arc, the fur vest for Saint John the Baptist, and my red cape for Saint George.

Kaylee (one of our triplets): Saint Rose of Lima

Addison (one of our triplets): Saint Joan of Arc

Cody:  Saint George

Jadon (one of our triplets): Saint John the Baptist

Eight

Over the weekend the triplets turned 8….  how did we get here so quickly.  I wish we could forward and rewind life.  I don't want to relieve all the years, but I wish I could go back for a little while and hold those tiny babies.

We celebrated their birthday (just family) at Main Event and played laser tag (even mamaw and papaw played).

The cake requests this year….  Frozen (Addison), Pocahontas (Kaylee) and Lincoln Logs (Jadon)… so here are my creations.

Catching up yet again

Seems like I am always playing catch up on the blog…. ugh, but I refuse to let this go….

We did celebrate a birthday in July… my baby is SIX years old… this year he wanted a Panda Bear cake so we went with Kung Foo Panda.

Kaylee was recently fitted for a head gear and looks just adorable in it….  she is young enough that she LOVES it.  She feels special because it's an experience she doesn't have to share with her siblings.

 Addison is now missing her two front teeth (she lost one on the last day of our annual beach vacation)… this time the dentist didn't have to pull them.  The finally came out on their own.

Cody took a spill in the house… running…. I had just said "NO running in the house when he went down.  Several external and internal stitches resulted.

A quick picture of the girls at church holding some of the new babies….  

Sea World II

The kids got out of school a week before public school so Jerry thought it might be a good time to take the kids to Sea World again.  The last time we went Cody had just turned one and the triplets were almost three and in the middle of potty training.

WOW… Jerry was brilliant… we literally had Sea World to ourselves.  We parked right at the entrance had a blast.

As we pulled up the 1st day (the 1st week of June), Cody lost his 1st tooth!!!  WOW!!  So the tooth fairy had to find us at San Antonio.

All Addison wanted to do was ride the BIG roller coaster the Steel Eel, but I wouldn't let her.  The next day she was mad at me all day… but we finally rode the Atlantas Express (or something like that), it is a smaller water roller coasted, but still pretty big.  I was brave enough to get on with them and the one big "drop" which goes backward… got their attention!!!!!!  I could see it on their faces, but while three of them loved it, it scared Addison to death.  The rest of the day she thanked me for not letting her ride the Steel Eel.  We rode the water roller coaster a couple more time but Addison did not like it and was a bit teary on the last ride.

It was a great way to start the summer!!

Moving Along….

Sooooo much has happened and life became super crazy busy when we purchased a new home and moved yet again February 28th.  I had been leasing a photography studio for 2 years and loved the studio, but was looking for a way not to have to pay rent… and we wanted a quiet street and more room for the kids.  We found a home that met all our needs.  On nearly 2 acres and a huge apartment/studio we took the plunge and moved again and we moved the studio.

It seems every home we buy needs a lot of work and this one was no different.  Every inch has been scrubbed, painted, and fixed up in one form or fashion… but now we have a new awesome home and a rent free amazing studio space!!!

We have two beautiful horses next door and tons of room for the kids to play:

It wasn't long after we moved in that the kids finally learned how to ride a bike without training wheels.  We all own bikes now and regularly ride around the neighborhood and over to my parents house…. yep… they are right down the road!!

Shortly after moving in we also learned we have about a 1/2 acre bluebonnet field… Gorgeous!!!!

"M-I-S-E-R-Y" It's not all about winning….

On Sunday, Jerry ran the Houston Marathon for the 6th time.  The last time he ran it was in 2005, ten years later and having just celebrated his 50th birthday days earlier, he proved he's still got it.

On Tuesday, Jadon participated in his first spelling bee.  He was one of three chosen from his class to participate which was an accomplishment in and of itself.  We studied on and off, but the night before the bee Jadon expressed some concern over potentially not winning…

Jerry talked to him about it….  

"Jadon, you know how I ran the marathon the other day?"

"Yes"

"Did I win?"

"No"

"Were you still proud of me"

"Yes"…

the message was received.

Jadon did AWESOME in the Bee!!!  Each time it was his turn… he walked over to the mic with a bounce in his step and huge smile on his face.  He made it to 4th place before missing the word "Misery."  He spelled it with an "a".  

Before the Bee was over every single child misspelled one word.  The winner spelled a word wrong, then the second place finisher spelled a word wrong.  So they each got another chance…. 

Jadon walked away very proud of himself…  I have to say I walked away a nervous wreck!!!!  It was stressful sitting quietly and holding my breath with each letter.