The pirate that turns my heart to mush

I've been wanting to upgrade my camera for sometime in order to take better pictures and different styles of shots.  Because those digital SLR cameras cost about as much as my first car, I thought I'd play around with my point and shoot to see what I could do with all the different settings.

Of course I have a willing subject.  Anytime Zoe sees the camera come out, she immediate says "cheese."  It's now accompanied with a pained look on her face.

She wanted me to start with her pirate face.

ARG Matey!

About 200 shots later, I got the natural smile I was going for.

That smile gets me every time.  She knows it's my kryptonite.

I seriously could watch her do just about anything and my heart gets to the point of bursting.  I never thought I would fall in love with all her little movements and every day mannerisms. 

I would have 700 more of her if I could.  Her personality is as big as her heart. 

A little reading

My first bible was a Precious Moments NIV.  I loved that thing.  It had cute pictures, some cute stories and it came with a fabric cover that I thought was totally cool.  It was slate blue with pink flowers, a pink heart and some lace.  It was totally late 80's and I loved it. 

Because I was in AWANA and they did Bible quizzing, I bought stickers that went on the first page of each book in the bible so I could quickly find verses like Habakkuk 1:17, 2 John 2:1 and Amos 3:2.  I have no idea what those verses are about, but I could totally find them.  I remember putting each of the stickers on my bible thinking "I'm so totally going to win next Wednesday."  Which is totally the right mindset to have.

A few weeks ago N's Aunt Mer and Aunt DeeDee sent some books for the girls.  This past weekend was the first time we were all together to open them.  D & E were beyond thrilled to get bibles.  They each came with a schnazzy case.  Not that either of the cases were as cool as mine from 1986, but they are much more modern.

Each bible had a note telling the girls how proud they are that D & E accepted Jesus as their savior.  It is something they will treasure for a long time to come.

In addition to D & E getting new bibles, Zoe got one too.  A VeggieTales edition.  It even has comic strips in it.

She loves it so much she wants to read it all the time. 

We're working on her Sunday School verse of the month...John 13:34 "love on another."  Right now she can say it.

Maybe by next Sunday she'll be able to find it!

Because I like sympathy

When I was growing up I really never wanted to be a housewive or a mother.  I think part of that was a defense mechanism that I started at 19 when I was told it would be hard for me to conceive any children.  The doctors could've have been more wrong.  I basically can sneeze and get pregnant.

It's also because I saw my sister birth my youngest nephew and that cured me.  For a really long time.

I was just someone who wanted a career and to make a name for myself. 

Then I met N and things started to change.  I began to love cooking and cleaning and making our home someplace that was comfortable.  It brought me much more joy than any career I could have.

Then Zoe came along and all my prior hopes and ideas were thrown out the window.  All my priorities changed.  I no longer wanted to be known for my job, but as a great wife and mother. 

Part of this new ideal, in my mind, is a great garden.  This past spring I started my first flower garden and even attempted to grow some pumpkins.  Which I'm proud to report have totally taken over our patio.  It's almost like that big squid at the end of the last Pirates movie.  You know the one that grabs the ships and takes it underwater.  I'm not saying that's the look I'm going for in this new picture I have, but live and learn.  Pumpkins need room.  Miles and miles of room.

To extend my green thumb into other areas of growing, I bought some bulbs.  In 2006 my mom, our dear friend Rose and I went to the tulip festival in Mount Vernon.  It was one of those moments where I fell in love with all things bulb related. 

Those bulbs arrived on Friday, just in time for some weekend planting.  When I opened the box I realized that it contained 100 bulbs.  I had 75 tulips, 15 hyacinth and 20 crocus.  I laid them out to ensure they'd be spaced well and started to dig.  And dig.  And dig.  100 little holes is quite a bit. 

It was so many holes that my green thumb tried to get a hole of its own.

Ain't she a beauty? 

Not as pretty as my garden will be though.  That's for sure.

I think I need an oxygen tank

This week both N and I celebrate our birthdays.  It's been a busy month.  We have a birthday every week for 6 weeks starting the beginning of September and our anniversary is thrown in there.

To say we're busy right now is an understatement.

My mom offered to take the girls Sunday while N and I went to church.  We stopped to pick up lunch and when we arrived at her house, we were pelted with balloons.  All the girls were yelling surprise and "happy birthday" to us. 

They even helped frost a cake.  To make sure everything was exact, they put 32 candles on it. 

Does that thing look imtimidating?

Both N and I were thrilled to have our girls help plan a birthday party for us.

We had some lunch, played Left-Right-Center and then it was time for cake.  It took N 5 minutes to light all the candles.  We made a wish as they were all singing.  I think it took a good three blows to get those candles out.

For our age we are exceptionally out of shape.  I am still feeling a little light headed. 

Thank you  D, E and Zoe for such a wonderful day.  Thank you Grandma for taking all three girls and organizing our shindig.

N and I are going to sit by the oxygen tank and regain our breath.

A sneak peek

On Sunday my family had the awesome opportunity to work with Jaidean Baker.  She's a photographer that I've been blog stalking for quite some time.  I love how she captures families, especially children.  To say I was excited about this is putting it mildly.  I may have been known to have a countdown running on our calendar. 

As we chatted about the session, I told her that I did want a family shot, but mainly wanted her to capture those candid moments.  She did not disappoint.  The pictures of beautiful. 

Thank you Jaidean.  I'm beyond thrilled to have the opportunity to work with you.  Thank you for capturing our girls as they are. 

She has a sneak peek of the session on her blog. 

Cinderelly, Cinderelly, night and day it's Cinderelly

Growing up, when I wasn't spending hours of time talking to myself in the mirror, I would spend the rest of my time playing dress-up.  My mom had gone to Goodwill and bought a bunch of clothes for me and my cousin to play with.  I can remember this white shawl with fringe that I thought made me look much older than my 4 years.  Then again it could've been the tennis balls I stuck down my shirt to channel Dolly Parton a la 9 to 5.

I have no idea why I did that, other than I've always wished I had been born with a little more up top.  That's a story for a different time.  Or never.

The point is, I dressed up constantly.  Then I would get out the tape recorder and sing some song or have my mom interview me because the tennis balls made me famous.  Just like Dolly.

In the last couple weeks Zoe has started to enjoy dressing up.  She has some jewelry, butterfly wings and princess shoes.  Her current style is Cinderella.

It warms my heart to the point of almost bursting to see her enjoying dress up.  It's going to take our tea parties to a whole different level.

She already has the stance of a princess lounging ever so dramatically after a long day. 

Please excuse the laundry on the princess's throne, her maid is a little behind.  She doesn't have any mice to help her.

Which she is very thankful about.  The frogs are enough.

Wordless Wednesday