Joe & Becky's Wedding

It could not have been more beautiful. The air was crisp and cool, but not too cold. The leaves were just beginning to slip into their autumn colors, leaving just enough green to make the wooded outdoor setting feel lush and fresh. The sun was beginning it's decline, shining its golden rays through the stretching branches of the trees. And there -- as if a scene straight out of Robin Hood -- my brother pledged his love and devotion to his fair maiden, and she in return.

Everything went perfectly. Becky and her mom thought of everything. They didn't miss a single detail, and the result was a beautiful, smoothly-flowing day that focused more on the love and friendships shared than last-minute loose ends.

The theme of their wedding day was "Rooted in Love." It all centered around the legacy of love and faithfulness established by generations before them and rooting themselves in Jesus as they begin their life as husband and wife. A giant, branching tree was the emblem of the day. We first saw it on the invitations, then noticed it echoed on the programs, table cards, and even the favors -- tree seedlings for everyone to take home, plant and watch grow over the years.

Becky is a country girl, sporting cowgirl boots under her wedding dress, and all of her bridesmaids wore boots, too.

My two little cuties, the flower girls, wore boots too. They were so cute, and did their job so well! Becky had them drop fall leaves along the path instead of flowers.

The girls' dresses were hand-made by a friend of one of the bridesmaids. The back was as cute as the front with decorative buttons from top to bottom. Having a 4-year-old with the most amazing ringlets ever makes up-dos a breeze.

I missed a lot of photographic details throughout the day because I was chasing the kids around making sure they were in the right place at the right time and NOT getting dirty. I was also singing in the wedding, so for instance I missed getting a photo of the kiss because I was still behind the piano. I also COMPLETELY FAILED at getting a family photo while we were all dressed up and primped so nicely! I could cry I'm so sad about it!

I can't WAIT to see their professional pictures. They hired an amazing photographer named Sara Tafoya, a friend of Joe's who offered to do the wedding for free if they'd just fly her in.

Here are a few more that I got. You can see them all by clicking here.

The wedding party

Israel

My goofball husband and sweet Rosie

We found out Ruby had strep throat the morning before the wedding! We got her on antibiotics right away and she wasn't contagious by wedding time. She was feeling pretty awful, but stayed sweet and did her job so well!

Becky and her mom did all of the flowers and decorations by themselves.

Becky and her cute bridesmaids just before the ceremony

Last minute primping

Giving of the bride

Reception decorations

First dance

Joe & Becky!

I can't believe it! My brother Joe and his beautiful fiance Becky are getting married in just TWO DAYS! The weather is supposed to be perfect for their outdoor, country-themed wedding. The girls are so excited to wear their cowgirl boots with their new flower girl dresses, and I can't wait to see the whole thing come together.

We celebrated Becky at a horseback riding bridal shower this past Sunday. The day was cool and crisp, and perfectly overcast for taking pictures! Becky's maid of honor did such a beautiful job setting up a perfect "Becky" day. My bum was sore for a couple days afterwards, but it was so worth it!

Tonight is the rehearsal and dinner, and Saturday is the big day. Please be praying that all of the last-minute details come together smoothly, and for safety for everyone traveling. My Mee-Maw made it in safely last night from Memphis, TN. I haven't seen her since February of 2010!

Johnye Rose is 1!

At this time last year, I was holding my tiny, newborn baby girl in my arms. It just takes one moment for someone like that to change your life forever, and I can't imagine life without my sweet little Rosie girl.

Happy birthday, Johnye Rose! We love you forever.

Rae's Outfits

Rae went on a dress-up spree the other day. She was being so cute and so funny, putting on outfits and then coming out to play with Ruby, I had to start snapping shots!

Photos of the girls

Quotes from Rae

"Do you ever get that feeling that your mouth is a tunnel and your food is a train going into it? I get that almost every time I eat."

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JP to me: "You look so hot."
Rae to me: "Yeah, you look sweaty."

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Rae (out of the blue): "Mom, has there ever been a show like Veggietales?

Me: "There's never, ever, ever, ever, EVER been a show like Veggietales.

"

UPDATE!

Wow, where do I begin? I haven't posted in what seems like a long, long time. The only times I have to blog are during naps and at night, but when I do photo shoots I have to use those times to edit. Blogging ends up getting pushed to the back burner.

Today I finally had time to edit some of my OWN photos, like this one.

Those have to be the most adorable little girls ever. I can't believe God gave me the cutest kids in the world! Out of all the kids on the entire earth, He picked mine to be the cutest. Unbelievable. ;)

You would not believe how much these precious girls are growing and changing every day. Rae is so big. JP and I both get misty-eyed just looking at her because she's officially out of the "little girl" stage and into the "big girl" stage. She's out of her car seat and into a booster seat now, and she's very independent when it comes to getting dressed, hygiene, and even feeding herself. She never wears a pull-up anymore, even at night, and we've started a simple pre-school routine at home. It's like child's play to her. She's very smart and very eager. This picture is blurry, but I love it. :)

Ruby will turn three on the 29th. Her favorite game to play right now is "Otis the puppy." At least three times a day she'll come up to me and say, "Mom, I want to be a puppy named Otis." I'll say, "Ok, Otis," and off she'll go. She'll stay in character for hours, even all day. She loves to play with Rae, but she's also very individual in her tastes and preferences. She is very cuddly and often wants to be held to connect with me, even if just for a second.

Rosie turns one in just three days!!! I can't believe it! I haven't even started on her video yet. I cannot imagine life without Rosie. She is such a hoot! She's the sweetest stinker I've ever known. She walks all of the time now and loves to explore. She enjoys playing with her big sisters and wrestling with the dogs. She's experimenting with words more and more, and her communication skills are getting much better. As of today, she is also in a forward-facing car seat (three days early -- don't turn me in).

JP is doing great. Hunting season starts later this month, so we're trying to soak up as much of JP as we can now. :) Business has been good as well, which always makes life easier. JP has been having these procedures done on his back called radio ablations. Basically they burn the nerve endings in his back so he can't feel the pain anymore. His last ablation is on Monday, and we're praying this will be the thing he needs to get relief from his back pain once and for all. Please pray with us!

I have been doing well, but also have a prayer request. Today I had an ultrasound on my neck to check out some nodules we located in my thyroid when I had strep a couple weeks ago. It's fairly common and not usually anything to be concerned about. The tech told me my thyroid looks bumpy and irregular, but not ugly like cancer. The radiologist will take a look at the images and decide whether or not we need to do a biopsy. I'm not worried, but it is a little weird to even be thinking about these things.

More photos to come....

6 Years

Looks like we made it

Look how far we've come, my baby

We mighta took the long way

We knew we'd get there someday

They said, "I bet they'll never make it."

But just look at us holding on

We're still together, still going strong

Ain't nothing better

We beat the odds together

I'm glad we didn't listen

Look at what we would be missing

They said, "I bet they'll never make it."

But just look at us holding on

We're still together, still going strong

You're still the one I run to

The one that I belong to

You're still the one I want for life

You're still the one that I love

The only one I dream of

You're still the one I kiss goodnight

You're still the one

Learning Light

I'm trying to venture out of my comfort zone and start shooting (my camera, not guns) in full manual mode. Up until now I've shot in aperture priority, which means I control the aperture (depth of field), but the camera takes care of figuring out what shutter speed to use. Sometimes this works great, but often, if the lighting is funny or off in some way, I'll end up with photos that are too dark or over-exposed.

Shooting in manual mode gives me more control over my exposure, and I know I need to learn it. But it's kind of HARD!

Here is an example of how I'm trying to teach myself. A carnation.

Side note: Here's a little something about me -- I don't like carnations. I think they are probably one of the ugliest flowers available. They seem cheap to me. Like in high school when you could buy your significant other a carnation on Valentines Day...? Really? That's how you want to show them you care? Lame.

But that's just me. And it has nothing to do with this blog post.

Back to my photography lessons. I set up my ugly carnation that I got for free at the Mille Lacs County State Fair and took a shot.

Whoa! Waaaaaaaay too dark! So I slowed down my shutter speed a bit and tried again.

Still too dark. Next I slowed down the shutter speed even more dramatically AND I bumped up the ISO, which controls how sensitive the camera's sensor will be to light. That produced this result.

Not bad! Just one more tweak in Lightroom, and voila! A very nice picture of a very ugly flower.

Next, I zoomed out for a full-length picture. All of the sudden more light was hitting the sensor and therefore, the photo was over-exposed.

I sped the shutter speed back up and fixed the problem.

I'm a believer that light is the #1 factor in creating a good photo. It will take some time for me to get used to which shutter speeds are appropriate for certain lighting situations, but I'm sure (I hope) that eventually (with plenty of practice) it will start to come naturally. :)

Rosie Stats

I am so far behind on posting Rosie's stats. Here she is, 11 months old, and I still haven't documented her 6 and 9 month measurements & weights. As many of you know, I don't "do" baby books, so this blog is the official record of my children's growth and development!

At her 6 months checkup, Johnye Rose was a whopping 16 pounds, 11 ounces (only 48th percentile) and 26 1/2 inches long (59th percentile).

At 9 months she was up to 20 pounds (67th percentile) and 28 1/2 inches long (65th percentile).

She hasn't really gotten any better at walking yet. Her max is right around five steps before she falls. She does definitely choose walking over crawling when point B is close by.

Rosie has also started communicating a lot more, and even "says" a few words. I say that loosely, since I may be the only one in the world who could recognize her sounds as actual words.

Nevertheless, she says the words hi, mama, dada, all done, please, "cheese" for the camera, and uh-oh rather clearly. She also says Peekabo, although it's more the intonation that she copies than the actual sounds.

She makes every day brighter, fuller and stickier. I LOVE YOU, ROSIE!

I Heart Faces -- "Beautiful Eyes"

I normally don't enter these contests (although I probably should as a way to challenge myself in the photography world), but this one was easy. The theme was "beautiful eyes," and I had just finished a shoot for my friend Kim where I snagged this shot of her second-to-youngest, Carla.

Those eyelashes just reach to the heavens! What a doll face! I had told here there were monkeys in my camera, and she was trying to see them: "Monkeeeeey? Monkeeeeey?" lol

You can check out more "beautiful eyes" entries at I Heart Faces blog. Just click the button below.

Forgetful

Today I was almost an hour late to a play date with a very patient and forgiving friend. It's not that I was running behind; I simply forgot about the play date altogether and wouldn't have shown up at all if not for her phone call. I happened to be in the car with my kids already, so we simply scratched our other plans and headed straight to Elm Creek Park...you know, where we were supposed to be.

I wish I could laugh and roll my eyes at this isolated incident of forgetfulness, but alas, it's becoming more common than I'd care to admit. In fact, I've been having such a problem with concentrating, focusing, and remembering things that it's been a daily prayer point. I've also started researching different vitamins and/or supplements that can help in this area.

It's driving JP nuts. We will have full conversations that I can't recall the very next day. He will ask me to do things and I will fail to follow through because I have no memory of him asking in the first place. If JP is trying to talk to me and the TV is on or the children are in the room, I'll have to look him directly in the eyes and focus all of my attention on what he is saying if I want to comprehend it. Sometimes, even though I'm looking straight at him, he'll finish a sentence and upon seeing the glazed look in my eye ask, "You have no idea what I just said, do you?" And he's right.

It's also driving me nuts. Yesterday I failed to put diapers & wipes in my diaper bag, and when Rosie exploded at PetSmart, I could do nothing but rush the kids back into the car and flee to Target where I could buy some. If I'm focused on doing the dishes and Rae asks me a question, I'll have to ask her to repeat it, sometimes multiple times. I can't multi-task to save my life anymore, and I feel like a ditz.

I've looked into what things might cause these symptoms. Most of the medical websites suggest depression, stress, or pregnancy as common reasons for losing focus. I am currently none of these (besides the regular stress of being a mother of three! But in general, I'm not stressed.). I'm not having any other accompanying symptoms, like headaches.

I've also looked into natural supplements to help keep my brain sharp. Most of them are fatty acids & vitamin E, ginkgo biloba, stuff like that. My friend also suggested playing some memory games to strengthen that part of my brain.

I'm at a loss right now. I know God has given me a sound mind. Perhaps I'm just lacking discipline in my life right now. Maybe I'm more stressed than I think I am. Whatever the case may be, I ask that you all keep me in your prayers, too! I want to be the sharp, thoughtful woman I'm meant to be.

Ramblings

Not a lot has been happening out here in Princeton lately. We've been inside a lot escaping the heat, and when we do go outside, water is usually involved. We found a nice little beach not too far from our house; it's small, never crowded, and the water is extremely clear.

We were there just this morning, and I had a very scary mom moment. I was sitting at a picnic table on shore with Rae and Rosie while Ruby swam in about waist-deep water with her friend Ethan, who is five. I was keeping an eye on her, but had looked away to get the baby a banana. When I looked back, I saw Ruby under the water with her little arms and legs flailing above the surface. I all but dropped the baby and sprinted to her side. After I picked her up, it took a couple seconds for her to cough and catch her breath again. Her lips were the palest white, and we just held each other for the longest time. It happened so fast, and that's just the thing -- it only takes a second. You get so used to looking up and seeing that everything is fine; then the one time comes that you look up and everything is not fine, and it's horrifying.

I didn't mean for this blog post to get so solemn so quickly. My apologies! Ruby is just fine.

In other news:

My friend Zandrah has been helping me come up with a good logo for my photography stuff. Choosing a logo is hard! The final product is so permanent; I really want to make sure that I love it, without driving Zandrah crazy with my nit-pickiness.

The countdown is on to my brother Joseph's wedding! The big day is September 24th, and his fiance Becky is full-tilt-boogie into wedding planning & preparations. Rae and Ruby are flower girls, and we met with the seamstress who is making their dresses this week for measurements. I have to find them little cowgirl boots to wear with their dresses. I have a bid in on a pair for Ruby on Ebay, and so far I haven't been able to find a good deal for Rae anywhere. Time to start hitting up the Goodwill stores!

I'm also going to get to take some official engagement pictures for Joe & Becky, which I'm super excited about, and they've asked me to sing in the wedding, which is such an honor.

I really need to get to bed. Love to all...

Rosie's First Steps

Of course, Rosie chose the one night I slipped away for a Norwex party to take her FIRST STEPS at only 10 months old! I was sad to miss it, but thankful JP got to see it (he missed the other girls' first steps). She had taken one step before, but never three in a row.

Thankfully, JP handed Rae the iPhone to record...lol!

Operation: Clean My House - UPDATE

Here are a few more before and after photos as "Operation: Clean My House" continues. It really is very hard for me to post these photos. I'm far too prideful to easiliy admit to the way my house looks on a normal day. But I FEEL SO FREE having this clutter and dust out of my way, I just want to tell the word!

Mail Center before

Mail Center After

Bedroom 1 Before

Bedroom 1 After (the ugly thing along the left wall is a desk we need to assemble)

Bedroom 2 Before

Bedroom 2 After

Grandma Dellas

This week, our family lost a very special and beloved matriarch. JP's maternal grandma, Della Mae Bowar, went to be with Jesus and the love of her life, Chip. (Those of you who have been reading the blog for a while may remember the letters I used to post that Chip wrote to his family during his time in the military.)

Grandma Dellas meeting newborn Rosie

Click here for a link to her obit.

Grandma Dellas, as we called her, was one of the dearest women you'll ever meet. She carried herself with such class and grace, and she was extremely witty. Even after suffering congestive heart failure, she found a way to smile and crack jokes.

JP and I had a chance to visit her in the hospital shortly after her heart failure, and I took the girls to see her once while she was in hospice care. We treasure those special moments with her.

I'm continually amazed and blessed to be a part of a family with so many living grandparents. It's hard to see them go, but I'm so thankful to have married into the legacy these dear grandparents are leaving behind.

Rest in peace, Gram, and we'll see you again.

Quotes from Rae + Rosie Cuteness

Rae has been on a roll again lately. Again, apologies to those of you who have heard these already from my facebook posts.

Rae: "Mom, your outfit is swanky!"

Me: "Do you even know what that means?"

Rae: "It's Spanish for 'nice outfit.'"

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Rae: "Dad, can we watch a show before bed?"

Dad: "I don't know, it's already past your bed time. We'll have to ask Mom."

Rae: "Dad, who runs the show around here? You, or mom!?"

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Me to Rae: "If you could meet anyone who ever lived, who would it be?"

Rae: "Ava."

Me: "No, I mean someone you've never met before, like Jesus or Laura Ingalls."

Rae: "Moooom! I've already MET Jesus! We know each other!"

Me: "Amen, Sista!"

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And here is your Rosie fix for the night. :)

Makena

I just finished editing photos from this shoot today. Makena is turning 2 on the 30th. Most of the shots I got were blurs of her running past the camera! She was so fast and always moving! But we did catch a few super sweet photos.

Operation: Clean My House

I do not claim to be a very good housekeeper.

In fact, when JP first went to talk to my dad about marrying me, my dad warned him.

"She won't clean," he said. "She doesn't know how."

When JP first told me this, I was quite offended. Of course I knew how to clean! I had been doing chores my whole life! Vacuuming, dusting, mopping, laundry, dishes, bathrooms, you name it, we had to do it all!

It didn't take me too long (maybe 2 years?) to figure out that I really wasn't that good at keeping my house clean and tidy. Our house is full of clutter, and while I do enough cleaning for it not to be gross, don't look too closely or you may notice the cobweb in the corner or the dust all over the bookshelf.

Now, I'm on a mission to deep clean and de-clutter every room of my house. Each available day I have, I'll pick one room and tackle it. Starting with the kitchen.

This is the kitchen before (sorry, it's a little dark, I didn't edit it at all). Don't judge.

And this is the kitchen after. Ta da!

Ah, that feels better! I can breathe again! I've also done the downstairs living area since this post, but didn't get pictures. That area is even harder to keep un-cluttered because it's where JP dumps all his junk.

Next up is the master bedroom (it's REALLY bad, but at least it's hidden), followed by the upstairs living area, then the bathrooms, the kids' rooms, and the laundry room.

Now if only I could believe that it could really last....