365

Ok so I am going to actually do this picture every day for a year thing. I have fail at this so many times before but I want to do this for my kids. I need to do this for them.

Last day my feet will every look like this, and yes my toe nail polish is left over from Halloween. :/ I promise I removed it right after this picture was taken its pink now.

This is our new puppy Scout. I don't think I have introduced him on the blog yet because well its been forever since I have had time to sit down and actually upload picture to the blog. Ugh he is a hellion. I am not sure what we were thinking 3 kids 5 and under, a 10 year old cranky pug and a annoying as hell puppy. Gosh I can't wait until he is like 2 years old. Scout is not one of the puppies in the last post from forever ago. Those were rescues and only foster dogs for us. Scout is our dog we bought from a breeder. He is a purebred German Shepard.

 

 Carter's first ever day of basket ball. I know the shots not great but I didn't bring my big lens in and I didn't want to get in other parents way.

My new tattoo. I don't want to get in to details but this is what it looked like the day after. Lets just say it wasn't a good experience and I left after the outline was finished. Its all 3 of my kids birth flowers and mine and Jim's birth flowers also. This is a cell phone shot hey at least its a picture right?

 Sometimes this dog just drives me so nuts he spends more time in his kennel then I would normally like but I just can't handle him trying to play with the grumpy old pug a million and one times a day. Notice his new bling on his neck. Yep I actually did it a shock collar on my dog. He has to learn to leave the old pug alone and nothing I was doing was working so hope this training method will work.

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Puppies, puppies, and more puppies!!!

As I mentioned in my last post we have been fostering dogs through SecondHand Hound now for 6 or so months. They supply everything for the dogs, from food to toys to kennels everything really. We just supply the love and a warm house to live in. We have fostered 12 dogs in total now. The rest of them were all adult dogs and adopted out with in a month or less.

3 weeks ago SHH posted that they needed a foster for a momma dog and her 7, 1 day old puppies. I jumped up thinking oh how fun not thinking about the amount of work they are. They are fun and oh so cute. The first 2 weeks momma did everything for the puppies besides changing there bedding once a day and making sure momma was fed and feeding her puppies we really didn't have to do anything. We watched them grow and cuddled them a bit but really they were tiny little things. Week 3 hit and oh man are the pooping machines. I put new puppy pads in there pen 4 times a day. They second a new pad hits the ground it is pooped or peed on multiple times. I deep clean there pen 1-2 times a day which requires me taking them out of the pen on to my living room floor to clean it. So then not only do I have to clean the pen I have to clean the living room floor after they go back in there pen. They are getting really fun though they are starting to run around and really play with each other and the kids oh man they love these puppies so much. Feeding time for the puppies is probably the kids favortie time of day (4 times a day). Anyways here the little fluff balls are oh so cute.

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Cabin Time!

Its been forever since I have updated this blog. This summer has went by sooooo fast. It seemed like Carter just got let out of school 2 weeks ago. Oliver really did because he did summer school which he hated.  Though school starts in 2 weeks and this momma is sooo ready for it. Carter is going to full days and is now in Kindergarten. I am excited for him and sad for me, he is my little baby.

Hmmm so whats new with everyone:

Me, not much I have had a bunch of awesome shoots this summer meeting a bunch of awesome new people. We are fostering dogs through SecondHand Hounds we have had a bunch of cute fosters, a couple naughty fosters, and right now we have the most adorable 3 week old puppies. They have been here since they were 2 days old and are growing so fast. They will stay here until they are 8 weeks old and ready to be adopted. I think after they are gone we will take a nice long break with fostering.

Jim: He bought us a new to us camper. Its pretty slick. We had a 1995 colman pop up but pop up are kind of a pain in the ass. Getting there and then spending an hour or 2 popping it all up and getting everything where it goes. This new camper is more of a trailer everything has its place and wont need to be put together when we get there. It does pop up but only like 18 inches. Oh and the new camper has a full camper kitchen unlike the pop who had a skin that was broke and stove we would never use. Best thing about the new camper is our bed has a real mattress now some little flimsy pad.

(image off of google image not our actual camper but its the exact same thing)

Carter: Not much is new with him. He has been spending a lot of time at grandpa and grandma's house which is great for him, but his attitude is terrible when he gets home. We have been working on site words all summer long and he is doing great with them. In the last couple days we have gotten his teachers name and school shopping list in the mail and also his bus route info. He is getting really excited!

Oliver, Oliver Oliver Oliver. He is going to be the straw the broke the camels back. I honestly dont know what to do with him most days. He is trouble but yet just doesn't get it. His impulse control issues haven't gotten any better. He is starting to figure out he is different from most kids and that most kids don't like him. Its sad but I don't know where to go from here. I am annoyed with doctors, teachers, therapist all the same that all turn a blind eye to his issues. Oliver gets to stay with the same teacher thing year with mostly the same kids. I love that these special 6 kids will have a really good bound when they start Junior Kindergarten next year.

Cora, is growing by leaps and bounds. Speech issues now more this girl can take and oh boy does she. She is sassy and funny and just so cute. The girl could get away with murder with her cute looks. I am thinking about starting her in dance which start next week. I guess its something I need to talk to Jim about and see if its a good idea.

So my moms friend and step father's cousin owns a cabin up in Hayward, WI. Hayward was a place I went to every summer as a child now my mom and I are able to bring my kids every summer. So many memories are made in the couple days were are there. The kids just have a blast!

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Spring 2.0

Spring is finally here and we are excited about it. Today we planted some flowers and played in the mud we (Oliver) created while planting flowers.

Today I am participating in an amazing blog circle. There will be a link right under the picture down there. Click the link and head on to the next amazing photographer (Nicole) to see what spring is to her.

Don't forget to continue on this great circle of amazing photographers.

Up next is my super awesome and amazingly talented friend Nicole from High Heel Photography, a Photographer in Bloomington Minnesota. Click here for her take on spring.

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Teddy Bear Park

The Teddy Bear Park in Stillwater is the meaning of summer to my kids.This park is built just for toddlers. Older rowdy kids are way out of place and honestly not that welcome here. Which is perfect for young kids. I know my kids some time get scared with those 13 year old boys running around acting crazy. This park is perfect from birth to probably about 7 years old. I know I read once some where that land for this park was donated and then also paid for by some really wealthy couple. The park is only 5 or so years old and before it was a park it was a yucky junk yard. The really great thing about this park is its clean. The cops really patrol the park and every night the gates to the park are locked shut.The trash is always cleaned up the bathrooms always cleaned and stocked. Another great thing is the playing surface is all padded and spongy. Oh and the grass you see ya that's fake, which is perfect it prevents grass for being to long and kids from digging in the dirt instead of the sand. Anyways is the all around perfect park for little ones. What makes it even better is that its about 6 miles away from our house.

(not my picture)

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A girl in a tutu.

There is nothing better then a little girl in a tutu. I actually found this tutu at a garage sale and just knew I had to have it. Seriously 2 year old girls in a tutu are soooo cute.

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Spring is finally here!

Only she could make a patch of dandelions look so cute. Spring is finally here!

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Yellow

 Yellow ~ Project Inspired ~ blog circle

Life with boys means a never ending pile of dump trucks, diggers, road steamers, excavators, bob cats, and dirt. Its still to cold to go and play out in the dirt so the table will have to do for now.

Don't forget to take a tour around the circle to see a ton of amazing photographers from all over country.

Next up is: Cincinnati Portrait Photographer - Samantha Sinchek Photography don't forget to check out her amazing work.
http://www.samanthasinchekphotography.com/2013/04/project-inspired-yellow/

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Grandma

81 years ago today you were born. I bet they didn't know when you were born what a special person you would be to sooooo many people. 1032 hour ago we all lost you. I have never felt such a pain in my heart. You were everything to me. You were everything to a lot of people. You met the man of your dreams married him had 5 of his babies and all to soon lost him. You raised 5 children all on your own. This is amazing to me. I have 3 and I feel like I am drowning but you gracefully did 5 on your own. All 5 of those kids grew in to some great adults. Between the 5of they gave you 15 grand kids. 15 grand kids who could not have had a greater grandma. We were soooo lucky. I look at other families around us and they just are not like us. We always teased each other how weird our family is but under that teasing we are all so greatful because of you grandma you kept us all together. Those 14 cousins of mine are not really cousin but more like siblings.  You were a rock you made sure at least once a week we all saw each other. You kept us together. When there was things my mom just couldn't handle doing with me you were there. When this cousin or that cousin needed a stern talking to you had no problem doing it. When anyone us got in trouble we made sure you were the first to know. Sure we are a weird family but thank god for that.

When my mom showed us this house that was for sell I can say the biggest perk what that you were only a block away. The many hours I spent on your couch just chatting away bringing you dinner or stopping for a cup of sugar. Oh I miss that sooooo much. I just want to talk to you. There is nothing in particular I want to talk to you about just talk and have you talk back about the pointless thing stuff we talked about. Because of living so close to you my kids were able to get almost as close to you as I did as a child. They were forming that same bond and that was special to me. I'm so happy my kids got to realize what a special person you were.
You should have died that one day at regions but you didn't. I don't know why but you held on. Not only did you hold on but held on for 3 more months. 3 more months of being able to talk to you. I couldn't have asked for more. I think that's why when you did pass I felt better about it. I walked in to the nursing home that morning and my stomach dropped, I just knew it was time. I knew after Patty passing only 3 weeks earlier that you wouldn't be able to hold on much longer. That morning was wasn't scary or panicky it was your last lucid moments and weather you chose it or not you spent them with me. (and Cora) at least I got to "see" you one last time before you left us.

I miss you more then you could ever know. About a million times now I have picked up the phone to call you. I don't know if Ill ever get over that feeling but just know that every one is here thinking about you and missing you every single day. You were not just a grandma you were a best friend.

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Carter's 5th Birthday.

OMG my baby is 5 how did this happen? I swear he was born only a couple months ago. Today we are having his big birthday party, his first year inviting school friends oh my. For today Ill leave you with pictures from his actual birthday. We celebrated it at grandma's house. The bike was his present from mom and dad. Thankfully it was actually warm enough that day to actually test it out.

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Snow Snow and more freaking snow.

This picture isn't from recently actually its from back in Febuarary but this is what we are still getting in almost the middle of April. Its like never ending I just want and need it to stop. One day it will be nice sunny 40 degrees out and the next its 20 and snowing.

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Project Insipred~ Blog Circle

So along with a great amazing group of women in the photography world I have decided to join a blog circle. Different topics will be chose and we will post pictures about that topic. Anyways at the end of this post will be a link to the next photographer on the list and on the bottom of her post will be a link to another and so on. I urge you to follow the circle around to see some amazing picture.

This weeks theme was about you, so I decided to to a day in the life post. These pictures were all taken from sun up to sun down yesterday. This is our life its a totally normal typical day in our house.

 

Thank you for taking the time to read this quick post. Please continue on by visiting Elizabeth 

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Surgery

I have been noticing latley that Cora has been nose breathing and snoring a lot. A lot of the same sympotoms Oliver had before his surgery. Anyways on Wednesday of last week I called and made an apt with an ENT for her. Some how they were able to get her in the very next day. Thursday we went in and the ENT said she needed tubes and adnoids. We decided to just get the surgery over with so I scheduled it for Monday. Friday we had to get a pre op phiscial done and that went great healthy as could be.

Monday came and surgery went great. What a difference from Olivers surgery. With Cora they let me go back in to the OR and let me stay the whole 30 seconds it took for her to fall asleep. Oliver they took him from me screaming in the pre op room. Surgery took about 40 mins from the minture she walked in the room until they came and got me. The actual surgery probably took 30 or so minutes. Before she was even awake they came and got me. I sat with her in post op for about an hour until they put us in a second stage post op room. Everything was going great she didn't seem in pain she drank apple juice and ate some pudding and they let us go. We were there less then 4 hours. We were actually home before nap time so we let her chill a little bit then put her down for her normal nap. She woke up fine at her normal wake up time. We went and got the boys from grandma's house and then went out to eat. While we were out to eat she wouldn't eat anything it was a buffet so I tried almost everything. She wouldn't even touch ice cream! She was getting a bit fusy at this time so we headed to Walmart to pick up her prescription of Tylonal with Codine in it. We gave it to her at the Walmart parking lot thinking by the time we got her home she would be nice and sleepy. She was so we put her right to bed when we got home. 2 or so hours later I went in to room and noticed she puked all over in her crib. Picked her up and she was burning up. After having a 103.5 temp and puking a couple more times we were off to the ER. Fluids, pain meds, breathing treatments, xrays and 6 hours later we were released from the ER. Fever wasn't gone but it was a low grade fever at that point. Get her home and in to bed at 4 am. She wake up at 9 and fever is back up to 103 ugh. I got it under controll with a cool bath and pain meds but it never went away just back down to low grade.

So here we are 3 days out and still with a fever and just plain feeling yucky. They are guessing she was ging to get sick and the surgery just fast tracked it or something like that. I don't about that but all I know is I want my sweet happy baby back.

 

First time off the couch or bed in 3 days.

 

 Still sick poor things pillow is nasty from all the yucky crap that is coming out of her.

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5|365 Ear infections, Step Throat, Bronchitis, and Stomach Flu and Colds

Ear infections, Step Throat, Bronchitis, and Stomach Flu and Colds. They have all been in my house in the last 6 days. Its been a long long six days. Today I finally felt well enough to disinfect this house. We have to get rid of this crap. Carter missed school on Friday because he was sick and I am hoping he can go back tomorrow. He was throwing up today but when school starts tomorrow it will have been more then 24 hours for him. He finally felt well enough to eat dinner (and keep it down) said his stomach fine tonight and judging by the way he was acting tonight he must have felt better.

Meet my new best friend.

My poor little dude did this most of the day.

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4|365 Lowes

We had nothing at all to do on Saturday so we cruised around Lowes. Nothing exciting at all was purchased just a stupid furnace filter. Oh the joys of home ownership. We did pick out a new vanity for our bathroom upstairs we need one really really bad but it was to expensive to buy then and there so it will have to wait.

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2-3

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Starting 365 yet again.

I think I have started a 365 4 or 5 times only to fail miserably in week 2 or so. Might as well try again.

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Thankful

Since its thanksgiving and all I thought I would write out some things I am thankful for.

• My children. I know most people say this and I am sure its true for them too but for me its a little different. After 5 years of dealing with infertility and every infertility treatment under the sun I had come to the realization that we would probably never have kids. Being crushed month after month finding out I wasn't pregnant was hard. Watching all your family and friends get pregnant before your eyes sucked bad. Finding out I was pregnant with the first was the most amazing feeling in the world. 

• Cora. I know it sounds funny but I am so thankful I got my little girl. Not only did I get my girl but that I am raising her in a way that hopefully won't make her a bitch. This may sound crazy but I was told from some one that who has a little 1 year old girl that because there girl is a girl and will be raised as a princess. The poor girl isn't allowed to play with any boy toys  or anything that isn't princess like. That is just crazy to me. Cora's favorite toy is a car she drives around our house, after putting the car down she runs to her doll and gives it a hug.

• The best husband in the world. Sure our parenting views don't always match but I will say that we are on par with most things. For 2 people who were raised completely differen't we have come along way with finding those things that work for him from up and me too and brining that in to how we raise our kids. He is my best friend and the worlds best dad.

• Birth to 3. I have to be thankful for this with out it Oliver would still be a whining mess who didn't know how to talk. Every day for the last 8 months Oliver and now Cora too have gotten speech therapy. I have not paid a single penny for it. If it wasn't for birth to 3 I don't know what we would have to there is no way we could afford private speech therapy.

• Health. Each one of my kids and my family is healthy. I couldn't ask for more. I have never once even had to bring my kids in to the doctor for a sick visit. 

• Being able to spend this thanksgiving with my grandma. Her health is failing her and this probably will be the last thanksgiving I will get to spend with her. This woman is my rock she is my heart. Losing her will crush me but for now I will cherish the time I have with her.

• Being able to be stay at home mom. For the first 4 years of Carter's life, first 3 of Oliver's life and 1 year of Cora's life I have been able to stay at home with my kids and watch them grow. I have witnessed all those first I never wanted to miss. I have been here for them in a way my mom could have never been there for me. Its time for me to re-enter the work force and I am ok with that I am ready for it.

• We have a roof over our hear and food on our table we have lots to be thankful for.

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Couple random things.

1. T-mobile throdeled my internet speed becasuse I went over 5G this month. Ugh its worse then dial up. Well at least I don't have to pay our corupt phone company here in town. Seriouisly they are the worst.

2. I have a super cute picture of all 3 of the kids in it but I can't share it quite yet. Its damn cute though trust me.

3. Little Reese is doing amazing for just having gone through brain surgery. Yesterday she got out of bed in to a therapy chair and then later sat up in bed all on her own. Today she cuddled with her mom for the first time in 7 days. She is even getting her sass back with is totally her. My friends have raised an amazing $17,000 for her in less then a week they are so cool peeps I tell ya.

4. I had to order some prints for a client and it gave me a chance to order some much needed prints for my self. Seriously you would think because I am a photographer I would have pictures all over my house. That is totally not the case. I have 4 tiny 8x10's up and a couple 5x7's. I finally got around to ordering that really big print I have wanted. We had our family pictures taken by the awesome Cathrine Jeteter Photography back in March and I just haven't gotten around to printing any of them off except for a lousy 8x10. Anyways go big or go home. Here is what I ordered today the big one and the pink one are from Cathrine the others I took. The big one is 20x30!

5. Kind of goes with #4. I love my printing place for many reasons but there shipping time and cost is outstanding. I ordered the prints at 6 am this morning by 8am they where done in production and ready to be shipped. If I wasn't lazy and it didn't cost me money I could have drove the hour it takes to get to the place and picked them up. Instead I will wait for them to get here tomorrow. Yes I said that right the very next day. Also shipping is free and they also give you a sucker with your order. I don't think Walmart can beat there prices. (I just looked and Walmarts 8x10's and 5x7's cost more.) I am cheap but prints are just not something I want to look crappy. Walmarts pictures suck bad. Seriously do not go to walmart or walgreens or target or any other place like that. If you are looking for a great consumer lab go to Mpix.com. Its not who I use because I use a pro lab but I have used them in the past and they were great!

6. I am loving that the election is over. Thank god for no more add on TV, my mail box, radio, and every where I go. I called it I knew Obama would win. I am not sure how to feel about it but I am in no means ready to jump off a bridge like many of my friends on Facebook were on Wednesday morning.

7. My grandma. Ugh where do I start with her. She is my world dude this lady is awesome probably the coolest grandma's around. Her health is failing her and it sucks I just hate to see it. This week she went to stay with one of my aunts because she didn't feel good. A couple weeks ago she lost her eye sight in one eye. She now takes something like 15 drops in her bad eye every day. Problem is she can't see anything to put the drops in. She basically needs care during all waking hours. I think she is starting to realize her time living at home is done. Where she goes from here I don't know.

8. Cora had speech today and did awesome! She was actually making noises and stuff. No she wasn't saying words but hell she was trying and that awesome to me.

9. Parent teacher conferences are next week. I am scared for what Carter's teacher is going to say. Carter is a shit head at home. I have asked her many times since school started and she always says he is doing great. He has had a lot of issues on the bus but his teacher keeps telling me he is not like that at school. Its seriously a ticking time bomb I know one day he will be a shit head at school too. Oliver I am not worried about he is a cute little 3 year old who can do no wrong in most people's eyes. Not mine but most people.

10. This is the worst one of all. We are putting on of our dogs to sleep tomorrow. I can't write much more because the tears will start flowing for the millionth time today. Its hard it sucks and I hate it. Our dogs were our babies long before we had kids. Gabby is only 7 and because of shitty breading her health is bad and well I don't want her to suffer. We have explain what is going to happen to Carter and he totally understands and honestly doesn't care. He actually asked to put another one of our dogs to sleep with Gabby because he thinks she is getting to old too. Tonight at dinner he asked if we can get a new dog next week. Um ya no buddy sorry we still have 2 other dogs. I know he wants a dog he can play with and well old pugs are just no fun to play with but we wont be getting another dog for many years.

11. Jim's birthday is next week and I know what I am getting him and I am excited about it. Its something he needs kind of and he would never spend the money on it him self.

And with that I leave you with this. Can some one please tell me when my baby all of a sudden became a teenager?

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Before and After

And this is why folks you hire a real photographer.
1. Target, Sears, portrait introversion ect do not edit.
2. Shoot and burners die out quickly they also don't edit usually and if they do it looks like crap.
3. They also do not make sure everything is perfect before it goes to print.
4. You will always be a customer number to them. My clients are my friends.

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