Happy Birthday To My Husband – Fenton Michigan Outdoor Kids Photographer

He shares a birthday with her. 

Which means that he gets pink cake with pink frosting. 

Luckily cherry chip is his favorite. 

The day that she was born he teased that I just didn’t want to buy him a gift. 

I say that I couldn’t have given him a better gift if I had looked in all the stores in all the world. 

She filled a place in his heart that he didn’t even know was empty. 

He never even knew that he needed her. 

Until he met her.  

God gave him the perfect gift. 

I simply delivered it.

Happy birthday M, I hope that your birthday is filled with sunshine, lollipops, happiness, and love!

Count Down To 5, Day 5 – Fenton Michigan Lifestyle Kids Photographer

When she was turning 2 she told everyone that she was turning 6.  I’d remind her that she was turning 2, to which she’d reply, “I’m gonna be 6.”  

Well, after settling quite nicely into 2, she had no desire to be 3.  (And when I say no desire, I mean no desire!) 

She wanted to be 2 again. 

People would ask her when her birthday was, and she would tell them.  Then they’d say, “How old are you going to be, 3?”  And she’d instantly look at me, and say, “Mama, I wanted to be 2 again, remember?”  And then she would ask me to let them know that she was not turning 3, she was indeed turning 2 again. 

When her brother’s told her that she had to turn 3, she was willing to give up her party, cake and all to stay 2. 

So, I of course told her that she could be 2 again if she really wanted to, and that she didn’t have to give up her party. 

Then I explained to her brothers that no it was not actually possible to turn 2 again, and that at some point she would decide to be 3. 

So they finally quit telling her that it was impossible to turn the same age twice, and you want to know what, a few months after her birthday she decided to be 3.

This year she is excited to be 5, and as I hold her little hand today, and watch her blow out her birthday candles, I will be excited for her.

5 things you should know about me

- I’ve been to the circus.

- My favorite color is pink.

- My favorite song is You Belong With Me by Taylor Swift.

- Today is my birthday.

- I like to sleep in nightgowns, and brush my teeth.

5 thing I don’t like

- I don’t like stuffed cabbage.

- I don’t like not being able to pick my own clothes.

- I don’t like giving away almost all of our baby kitty cats.

- I don’t like when my brother’s use my things without asking me.

- I don’t like when I get hurt.

5 wishes

- I wish for my birthday presents to be here.

- I wish that I had a thousand sparkley dresses, and lipstick, and eyeshadows, and high heals.

- I wish that I will be a grown up soon, and have tons of convertibles.

- I wish that  I got lots of magic flowers that would turn evil people into nice.

- I wish that my birthday will be super fun.

I love you with all of my heart my sweet, wonderful, beautiful, kind hearted girl.  You make me smile daily.  I can’t resist kissing your sweet face, or tickling your tiny self.  I love to listen to you talk, and hope, and dream.  I love that you are girly, and that your arms fit so perfectly around my neck.  You have my heart my sweet girl, and I thank God everyday for giving me exactly what I had always wanted.  The wonderfully amazing you.  Love, Mommy xoxo

I hope that your day is filled with sunshine, lollipops, happiness, and love!

Countdown To Five, Day Four – Fenton Michigan Lifestyle Photographer

She loves makeup. 

She loves our “girl time”.

She stands in my mirror with me, and puts on a little lip gloss, or eye shadow. 

She gives herself makeovers almost daily, and doesn’t understand why she can’t always leave the house that way. 

She loves to give me makeovers, and because of that I happily let her. 

She feels beautiful in too much pink eyeshadow, and bright pink lipstick. 

I think she’s beautiful just the way she is.

May your dreams be filled with sunshine, lollipops, happiness, and love!

Count Down To Five, Day Three – Fenton Michigan Child Photographer

She doesn’t like me to tell stories about her. 

I can’t help it because she is constantly doing, or saying things worth repeating. 

Luckily for me she almost always gives me the okay to share, but I might get “the look” first.  Followed by a devilish grin, and a smile.

I hope that your day has been filled with sunshine, lollipops, happiness, and love!

Cound Down To Five, Day Two – Fenton Michigan Child Photographer

She’s great at sharing. 

If she has something that her brothers don’t, she always offers to share with them. 

If they finished eating their cookie, and she still had some of her’s she would happily break off a piece for them. 

If they’re scared to go to the basement alone, she always offers to go with them. 

Whenever she gets Smarties at the bank she always offers me the purple ones because she knows those ones are my favorite.

She chooses pepperoni pizza even though she doesn’t like pepperoni, so that she can pick them off, and give them to someone that does.

Her selfless spirit fills our lives with sunshine, lollipops, happiness, and love

Count Down To 5, Day One – Fenton Michigan Lifestyle Child Photographer

My little lady is getting ready to turn five, which is hard to believe.  It doesn’t feel like it’s been five years since we welcomed her into our family.  (On the other hand it’s hard to remember life without her.) 

She starts kindergarten in the fall, and even though she seems to be ready, I’m not.  She’s my baby, my little girl.  Her baby, toddler, and pre-school years are now behind us, and she seems to be stepping so quickly into childhood.  Before I know it she’ll be heading off to college. 

But before that happens I plan to soak in every last precious drop of her. 

Her sparkley eyes, her darling giggle that makes my heart burst.  The way she wraps her arms around my neck, and tells me that she’s my koala.  The nights spent in pink night gowns, snuggled up next to me when she’s cold.  That sweet voice that calls me mama, and says “I love you.”  Songs sung in the car, and hands held while dancing.  If I could bottle it all up, I would.  But since I can’t I will take each precious moment as it comes.  I will savor, and enjoy it.  Then I will let it settle into my heart where I will treasure it forever.

She is girly.  She loves all things pink, twirly, high-heeled, and sparkley.

(These are currently her favorite “high-heels” as you can tell by the scuffed up toes.  They are too big for her, but she couldn’t bear the thought of putting them away until they actually fit.  She fell in love with them, and since she doesn’t mind her little heels flip floping out of the back, I happily let her wear them as often as her little heart desires )

I hope that your day is filled with sunshine, lollipops, happiness, and love!  Ours will also be filled with fire works

Stanley School – Flint Michigan Lifestyle Photographer

In May I went on a field trip to Crossroads Village http://www.geneseecountyparks.org/crossroadsvillage.htm  with my younger son’s class. 

We spent the day in their one room school-house that was used from 1883-1963, called Stanley School http://www.geneseecountyparks.org/map_school.htm When we were there we took a trip back to the 1800′s, and experienced what school was like for the students at that time. 

We learned that all of the teacher’s back then were called Miss, because women no longer taught once they were married.

We learned that the boys sat on one side of the room, and the girls sat on the other.  We also learned that the boys assignment was on one side of the chalkboard, and the girls assignments were on the other. 

While the 3 r’s stand for reading, writing, and arithmetic nowadays, we learned that they once stood for reading, writing, and religion.

We learned that teacher’s spanked children.

My little guy was the only one that was willing to get a spanking.  When no one else raised their hand, he nervously decided to raise his.

And of course she did not actually spank him  

The kids dressed in clothes that were typical of that time period, and they ate food that was typical of the 1800′s.  Bringing glass jars filled with juice was not the best idea, but luckily we only had one jar break, and spill.  (Which of course belonged to my little man.)

As I was sitting in the small one room school-house I couldn’t help but wonder about the all of the children, and teachers that learned, and grew, and taught here.

I pictured girls with braids, and bonnets.  I pictured little boys with holes in their overalls, and frogs in their pockets.  I pictured pranks pulled on teachers, and secrets whispered at recess.  I pictured life.  This small building that was now used for field trips was once the center of someone’s day.  The place where they made friendships, and learned.  A place that helped to shape their futures. 

As I was busy wondering about, and picturing these people that had once called this place school, I couldn’t help but wonder about the lives of the people that built, and lived in our home so many years ago.

Our house was built sometime between 1900, and 1908, and as I sat listening to their day, and watched the kids play games that we no longer play today, I wondered if the children that lived in our home played these very same games outside in our yard. 

I wondered what their mother was like while she stood in the very same places that I stand raising her children. 

Our home has so much history, and has been blessed with many people in the past 100 years.  I wish that I could see photos of the people that have slept in the same rooms where my children sleep.  Of the men who worked in the barn where my husband stores his tools.  Of the women who cared for, and loved their family in the same rooms that I care for my very own family now. 

Wouldn’t it be interesting to know their stories?  Wouldn’t it be interesting to see their faces, and know their names?

It can be so easy to get caught up in your own day to day life, but the next time you stand under a big shady tree take a moment to think about who may have planted that tree, or who may have stood under it’s shady branches before you came along. 

In the grand scheme of things, life is short.  Make an impression on someone, and think of those that were here before you.  If it weren’t for them, life would not be what it is today.

And then go out, and fill the world with sunshine, lollipops, happiness, and love!

A Typical School Morning – Fenton Michigan Child Photographer

A typical school morning for Mom.

Make sure everyone is awake.

Make sure each child is dressed properly for school. 

Make sure they didn’t put on dirty clothes from yesterday, and make sure that everyone has on everything they need for their school dress code. 

Make sure that the clothes they picked are indeed dress code.

Make sure that everyone eats breakfast.

Make sure dishes get put in the sink.

Send them again to put their dishes in the sink because at least one child probably “forgot”.

Make sure the milk, and cereal gets put away.

Find out it didn’t, and ask them to each put one thing away.

Make sure everyone put their pajama’s where they belong.

Find everyone’s pajamas on the floor instead of on the shelf, and send them back to pick them up off of the floor, and put them on the shelf.

Make sure everyone’s hair is taken care of.

Make sure everyone brushed their teeth.

Send everyone back to the bathroom to put away their tooth brushes, and the toothpaste.

Double check lunches, and snacks.

Make sure lunches, and snacks get put into backpacks.

Make sure everyone puts on their shoes.

Make sure everyone has their homework.

Head out the door, double checking that everyone has their backpack, homework, lunch, and snack with them as they head to the car.

Get to school with 2 minutes to spare.

Make sure that everyone brings their backpacks, homework, lunches, and snack into school with them.

Give kisses, and remind them to have a good day.

Drive home, and start thinking about getting your pre-schooler ready and off to school.

A typical school morning for Dad.

Make sure everyone is awake.

Watch a little tv while the kids get ready.

Notice it’s time to leave.

Tell the kids it’s time to get in the car.

Buckle in, and have one kid run back into the house because they forgot something.

Pull up to school with 10 minutes to spare.

Say goodbye as the kids hop out.

Find out that one of your kids put on grass stained pants from yesterday, and that the other one put on their dirty shirt from yesterday.

Feel embarrassed that they would do that.

Come home feeling proud of yourself for getting your kids to school 10 minutes early.

Notice that someone left their lunch in the car when they got out at school.

Ask your wife why your kids are always forgetting things when you drive them to school.

Find out from your wife that everyone’s pajamas are still in the floor.

Find out that the milk, cereal, and bowls are still on the table. 

Find out from your wife that someone’s homework is still on the counter, and that someone’s lunch is in their backpack which is on the kitchen floor.

Get asked if everyone brushed their hair, and teeth, and have no clue.

Wonder why your kids forgot to do so many things when you take them, but not when your wife takes them.

Think to yourself that there’s no way that mornings are this tough for your wife.

Be glad your wife is taking your pre-schooler to school, because this whole getting kids ready for school thing is tough! 

Be glad that you don’t have to take your kids to school everyday.  

Reward yourself for a job well done by taking a few minutes to relax.

 

Oh my dear sweet boys, I hope that your last day of school today is filled with sunshine, lollipops, happiness, and love!  Love, Mommy xoxo

5 Things That Made Me Happy This Week – Linden Michigan Family Photographer

5 Things That Made Me Happy This Week

1. BBQ’s. Holy moly, we have attended more bbq’s than I could even count this week. Food, friends, more food, more friends… Lots of yummy food makes me happy, although my waistline tends to disagree

2. Friends with little ones. It is so nice to be able to spend time talking with wonderful friends. The one thing that makes it even better is when they have little ones for my kiddos to play with too. They’re happily occupied, I’m happily occupied. It’s what I would call a win win situation, and it makes me happy

3. End of the year ceremonies. Both of my boys got to dress up all handsome, and attend some their end of the year ceremonies. They both did so great this year, and I am so proud of them. It’s nice to be able to join them as their teachers express their pride in my little ones too. It makes me happy

4. Boy Scouts. This week for Boy Scouts my boys got to race boats that they had built, and they did awesome! They both won their first races, and then my oldest ended up taking home the gold. He had his boat to the end with three blows, it was quite amazing to watch. We also planted flowers at a local park, and re-painted their pavilion. Having fun, and doing something good for the community makes me happy

5. Helping a wonderful photographer friend of mine get one step closer to Africa. A photographer friend of mine was selling dresses to raise money for her upcoming missions trip to Africa, and I was happy to be able to help her get one step closer by purchasing a dress for my little lady. Her family will be doing some pretty amazing things for the community while living in Africa for the next two years, and being able to contribute to that makes me happy

What made you happy this week?

I hope that your weekend was filled with sunshine, lollipops, happiness, and love!

Temporary Home

Every time this song comes on the radio I get goosebumps. 

Today I finally watched the video, and as always I got goosebumps.  This time was different though, I also got all choked up, and had tears in my eyes.

I hope it touches you too.

I hope that the rest of your week is filled with sunshine, lollipops, happiness, and love!