Hissyfits Photography Blog

So I have been doing some thinking. A lot of thinking actually. About how much our lives have changed in the last three and a half years. About how small a slice of time three and half years truly is in the whole scheme of things but also about how my sweet littles have grown from babies into toddlers and now kids in that same three and a half years. About how living hundreds and hundreds of miles from everything that defined me has taught me more than I ever would have dreamed possible. About how our move has shown me who my true friends really are and the undeniable importance they will forever hold on my heart.  About how much Chris and I depend on each other – we are all we have out here and our relationship has only been strengthened from both the good and the bad times we have shared. About how moving here so Chris could follow his heart has opened doors for me and in turn shown me where my true love lies…in photography. When you are in a good place and life is comfortable, you take it for granted. When you are uprooted from that comfort zone and are quickly thrown into a harsh new reality, it rocks you to the core. It changes you.

Have I changed in the last three and a half years? Sure. But am I still the same person I have always been? I think so.

I gripe and complain a lot about living here. I cry. I pout. I have pity parties on a regular basis. I was never thrilled about moving, but when you love someone so completely, you make sacrifices. That is what marriage and life are all about. And while every day is certainly not a walk in the park and my mind often wanders to all the “what ifs,” precious and priceless memories created here simultaneously dance through my mind. The friends we have made. The trips we have taken. First steps. First swims. First words. First birthdays. First days of school. So many of those things that make a house a home have happened here and while I certainly don’t consider Arizona home, I can’t deny that the smiles and giggles, along with the tears, have all made our house our home.

It wasn’t until we moved here that I took an interest in photography. We bought our first DSLR before we had Gentry, but I didn’t truly fall in love with the art until much later. I distinctly remember sitting at the computer in the office just weeks after moving here and emailing an old friend from high school about everything photography. From there, my interest only grew. And then my love. And before long I was “setting up” shoots with the kids and trying to achieve more than just simple snapshots. Would I have ever been interested had we stayed in Kansas? Was photography filling a void for me? Those are questions I will never know the answer to. But what I do know is that my eyes were opened and as more time passed, my love turned into a passion. Taking online classes. Reading tutorials. Stalking blogs. Learning Photoshop. Mastering shooting in manual. Wanting to capture those priceless memories I have of my own children for others. I saw myself coming full circle…from ditching those studio sessions I had once regularly scheduled for the kids to knowing that I could capture the images I wanted.

Although I will never know if I would have pursued this love had we stayed in Kansas, I do know that had we stayed in Kansas, I would have missed out on meeting some pretty amazing Southern Cali girls! I met one of those California girls just about a year ago. I was a blog stalker and when I found out she was coming to Arizona to visit family, I contacted her. {Yes…I am one of those kind of people!!} She graciously agreed to meet up with me at a park to talk photography. And then my sweet, sweet husband kindly agreed to haul me an hour and half across the valley to the other side of town for this little get together. Little did I know that day I would find a friend, a mentor and a support I can’t imagine my life without. {Our park playdate turned into over half a day at her sister in law’s while the kids played and we chatted!}

Meet Kamee…this is the face behind Kamee June Photography. And yes, she is gorgeous. But you know what? She is NICE. Like one of those people you would love to hate because they seem to have it ALL going on? Smart, beautiful, talented, personable…the list goes on. Yep…she’s one of ‘em!! But, there is no hating this girl! She is too sweet, sincere and just flat out fabulous not to love!

These amazing photos were taken by the very talented Whitney. There are several more super cute shots on both Whitney and Kamee’s blogs so check them out! {For the life of me I cannot get them bigger and my blog is having issues still with putting everything on the left. Ugh. Gotta get that taken care of!!}

Kamee and I  have stayed in touch since that meeting last March. We’ve actually met up twice since then and she took our family photos in our pool last summer. Remember these beauties? Love them. Anyway, the fabulous Kamee is coming back to Arizona in March and this time hosting a workshop!!!! I am soooooo excited I can hardly stand it. I love her. I love her kids. I love her style. I love her willingness to share everything she knows. I actually even love the fact that we live in Arizona right now because if we didn’t, this workshop wouldn’t even be on my radar! I absolutely cannot wait for this experience!! I know beyond a shadow of a doubt I will walk away that evening armed with knowledge, inspiration and a desire to grow and evolve in my own photography. For that, I simply cannot wait!

So…if you just so happen to live in Arizona or anywhere remotely close and are up for a road trip, you won’t regret it. I promise. I know first hand that she is working hard and putting her everything into this workshop and it is going to be fabulous beyond belief! My heart skips a beat thinking of all the ways in which my own eyes and mind will be opened after attending! And you don’t have to have a business to attend! She has broken the day up into two sessions and the workshop will accommodate everyone from moms wanting to learn to capture better photos of their littles to seasoned professionals wanting to breathe some new life into their style!

Who wants to join us?

I can’t wait to kick it with you Kamee…I know this is an experience I will cherish for years to come! Thanks for making it happen!

So my long time friend Laura created a super fun post with all of her favorite winter things and is encouraging everyone who follows her blog to join in the blogging festivities! I am always looking for different, happy things to blog about and I am LOVIN’ this idea! Thanks for the inspiration and the jump start Laura!!

Now, keep in mind that it is bright and sunny here with highs in the 60’s and 70’s. And while it is just the beginning of February and most definitely technically still winter, it is hard to be in that wintery frame of mind while living in the desert. Soooo…as you can clearly see, most of my items are definitely not seasonal!

Alrighty then…so I wasn’t quite “thinking” when I finished this up and I didn’t label each square with a number. OOPS! {I was just  so happy that I actually figured out how to use a storyboard ALL on my own that I spaced it off!! Thanks Laura for sharing your template!!} Anyway, I am sure you can figure out which picture matches up with which number below!

1. Sally Hansen Insta-Dri nail polish in Agile Amethyst. And although I am not sure how fast it truly dries, it makes me feel better to think it dries instantly! {I can’t find this color online which is strange because I haven’t had it very long! Oh well, that’s my story and I’m stickin’ to it!}

2. Super fab little pink and white polka dotted frame. Yes, it is empty but I DO have a picture order I am working on for this week so it won’t be long and I’ll have little faces looking back at me! I found it at Target {for just $4.99} on an end cap with Valentine’s Day decor. I originally bought one for Gentry’s room but I loved it so much that I had to go get another one for my desk!

3. Good & Plenty candy. ‘Nuff said!

4. Our local Sonic has reinstated Happy Hour! WAHOOOOOO!!! Love that I can get a Route 44 for me and smalls for the kids and still spend less from 2:00 to 4:00 PM on drinks than I would on mine alone any other time of day! My drink of choice? Why a Cranberry Grape Slush of course!

5. Our iSight camera on the computer. We have had it since we lived in KC and I LOVE LOVE LOVE this thing. It was so hard to come back to Arizona after Christmas and I have enjoyed being able to chat with family back home since we had to leave. It certainly doesn’t replace actually LIVING in Kansas, but I’ll take what I can get for now! I was SOOOO homesick and not one bit thrilled about coming back to Arizona and being able to chat on a whim is so nice! And the kids LOVE it!!

6. Dapper little green and white polo from GapKids. Love this color!! (Huntler needs a size small for anyone out there who might be thinking of getting it for him, ahem, Grandma!}

7. Cutest swimsuit EVER. Dearest Grandma, if you are thinking that Gentry needs this, she does. In a size 4T. She would gladly accept the coordinating dress and the sunglasses as well!

8. Super adorable maternity skirt from Old Navy. I am still sporting my velour jogging suits in an array of colors, but I am getting sick of them! Already. I just feel like such a frump when all I do it put on a different color of of sweat suit each day! Even fixing my hair and doing my make up {which I do daily} doesn’t help! Just trying to get through to the warmer temps so I can buy some dresses!

9. C.O. Bigelow Lemon Lip Cream. LOVE this stuff! Gentry used {wasted actually} my first tube so over Christmas I picked up another one…which the little stinker busted through the plastic wrapper and got into before I even got to use it!!

10. Luh Loo. ADORABLE little Esty shop! I have now purchased five different pieces from this shop and LOVE each and every one of them! Super fun. Unique. Very glam. LOVE this place and dream of being able to do the amazing things with felt that she does!!

If you are interested in joining along, I would love to see your favorite things!! I know Laura will gladly share her template so follow the link from above and head on over if you want to play along!

It’s Tuesday again friends! Where oh where does the time go? I feel like the last two weeks have flown by and lasted forever at the same time! Both of the kids have been sick – coughs, runny noses, snotty noses, bloody noses, fevers…it’s been exhausting! After a coughing-turned-near-puking-experience from Gentry this morning, I finally made appointments with the pediatrician. They worked us in just before lunch and after an hour in the office, we left with two prescriptions and peace of mind. No pneumonia. Nothing major. Although I was worried the most about Gentry, it turns out that she is in fact the healthier of the two sickies! There was all sorts of crackling and wheezing coming from Huntler and we left with a prescription for an antibiotic as well as Albuterol. So…hopefully another day or two and this will all start to be a thing of the past! Cross your fingers for us!

Okay, so are you ready for your random bits of nonsense this week?

1. I am addicted to Scramboni on my iPhone. What started out as me wasting time one evening unscrambling words has turned into a full blown obsession! {Well, as much of an obsession as you can call it – I only play one game a day!!} I am a very non competitive person. I never have been. That is why my volleyball career lasted all of 7th grade and that was it. Well, that and the fact that I am super non athletic. But we aren’t talking about that, now are we?! We are talking about my lack of competitive drive. Anyway, something comes alive in me once I log into the Scramboni game world! That competitive drive that never surfaces suddenly comes out in full intellectual force! I have mastered levels one and two and made it to the big league – level three. But level three is really, really hard. As in I don’t even come close to winning!! There are some real brainiacs out there! But I love that it challenges me. I need that!

2. I have officially given up on all Bath and Body Works lotions. They smell great, they really do, but they do NOTHING for my SUPER DRY skin. The fact that we live in the desert and I am pregnant don’t help I am sure, but the love affair is over. It is back to basics for me – Vaseline Intensive Care. And it’s working!!

3. We have definitely decided on our baby names. We have the first and middle names picked for a boy and a girll!! YAY! And no, we aren’t telling. Sorry. The kids don’t even know because we can’t trust them! There are so many cute ones out there and while I continue to hear fab new ones, the fact of the matter is that I have had these names in mind for SO long that I can’t possibly imagine having a baby and not using them! Thank goodness Chris is totally on board with my love of unique and we haven’t had any disagreements!!

4. Speaking of the baby, I ordered blankets last week. I am super OCD and insist on having the blanket AT the hospital, so I ordered both a boy version AND a girl version. I figure that we know enough people having babies that someone will surely have the opposite of what we have and I can give it as a gift!!

These are the prints I chose…LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE them!!

I bought them on Etsy…from this cute little shop!! Huntler and Gentry have had their blankets since they were born and I just couldn’t imagine this baby not having one! Of course, Etsy was not on my radar five or even three years ago so they have much more “simple” {yet very much loved!} blankets than Baby #3 is going to have!

5. I still don’t have a gut feeling as to “what” we are having. Someone asked me last week and I honestly don’t have a clue!! Our ultrasound is in two weeks but I am going to make sure that the tech doesn’t let me get a peek! I am really excited to be surprised this time around! We have one of each and names that we adore so at this point, healthy is the only thing we care about!

6. Have you heard about the new show Chuggington? Huntler is in love. The boy and his trains. He now builds the little city of Chuggington ALL the time! And pretends that his Thomas trains are Chuggington characters. It amazes me how after just two or three episodes he was able to remember who was who and all of that. Crazy. We now have 15 episodes saved on DVR.

I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again. I love how innocent he is. He is more than content to play with trains, bristle blocks and tinker toys. He seems completely unaware of the world that I know is lurking just around the corner…Star Wars and transformers and guns. For now, I am happy to keep him in his bubble! No need to grow up any faster than he already is!

7. I made amends with my elliptical. After eight months of working out pretty hard core, I fell off the wagon at Christmas and am only just now getting back on. As of yesterday. And OH MY GOSH it is so much harder and more exhausting to work out when you are pregnant! It’s crazy. So, needless to say, my workouts are not great by any means, but at least I am getting in some physical activity. I am just hoping to stay somewhat active and bounce back to my normal size within 5 or 6 weeks of having the baby.

8. Did you watch The Bachelor last night? We had a little cable mishap so I missed the first date, but I can’t say I was too surprised at who went home!! Talk about an awkward moment between Jake and Corrie on the boat!

9. Target has some of the cutest sandals EVER right now!! I stumbled upon these gems for Gentry and she and I both L♥VE them!! They are a fun metallic pink and too cute for words!! They also happened to have them in silver but she did NOT like those! I was on the verge of begging with her, but if she doesn’t like something, she’ll fight wearing it, so I let it go! I ended up getting each of the kids three pair of new sandals for this spring!! They have outgrown almost everything from last summer. And seriously, I would have bought these shoes anyway. They are tooooooo cute for words!

10. Our kids have inherited my pickiness. Several weeks ago I brought up the subject of designing their Valentines. I did it last year and they turned out SO cute that I wanted to do it again. Well, last year we just so happened to be in Kansas for two weeks and staying in a hotel, so I didn’t have much else to do. A year later I am tired and pregnant and have plenty to do! But they don’t care! I was hoping to take them shopping and let them see their options and maybe they would come around. Nope. We checked out all of the Valentines at Target and the kids aren’t even interested. At all. So…tonight I am going to have to kick Chris into high gear to help me with Huntler’s and I am going to have to get busy on Gentry’s!! I ended up just buying a template for hers so all I have to do it insert a couple of photos and change the text and we are good to go!! The girl has her heart SET on these so we went out for a 15 minute mini photo shoot yesterday and tried her pictures again – the first time didn’t go so well. I am not so great at the design aspect so Chris is going to design Huntler’s – fire truck bookmarks. We took his pictures a couple of weeks ago and they turned out darling, so we should be good to go now!!

And speaking of pictures, I need to upload the ones I took of Gentry and get working on those!! And I need a nap. And I need to do laundry. And clean up the lunch mess. And make beds. And, and, and…

I have this sneaking suspicion that once the baby gets here, this sassy little diva may have some adjusting to do. And NO she does not still have the binky…this one belongs to her dolls…she just happens to put it in her mouth from time to time!

Hello! Hello! Hello! It has been sooooo long since I have done a Ten on Tuesday post! I love to read them and I actually like to write them, so I decided it is time to get back on the bandwagon! So Happy Tuesday and here are some bits of randomness for you!

1. Somehow I have managed to create a little “catch” in my hip. I did it yesterday and while I am feeling much better today {although it is only 7:30 AM as I begin this and I have only walked from my bed to the bathroom to the computer!}, it still catches when I walk and isn’t exactly comfortable. So I have been hobbling! I am planning to take it easy today {something I don’t do well!} and try to relax and not go, go, go and hopefully that will have me back to new in no time!

2. The Bachelor. Is anyone else out there watching? You know me…I don’t miss a season. I will probably be 45 and still tuning in!! I will say that this season has been a bit more challenging for me – I am getting CRITICAL in my old age!! But WHAT in the world is going on? Although I could barely keep my tired little eyes open last night and did in fact doze off during the cocktail party, I managed to wake up {thanks to Chris!} just in time for the rose ceremony. My thoughts? Really Jake? REALLY? How in the tarnation are you not seeing what everyone else is seeing? I am liking Tenley. Cute name. Cute girl. Seems sincere. So, we’ll see!

3. I am a HUGE fan of Tide Stain Release. {Yep…super random and all over the place today, hunh?!} Have you tried it? I just pour a capful in the kids’ loads of laundry, let ‘em soak for a bit and then start the washing machine back up. I am super picky so I still spray all the spots on their clothes, but I am loving this stuff! Try it…I don’t think you’ll be disappointed!

4. Speaking of kids and laundry, am I the ONLY one who washes each kid’s clothes separately? As in I wash Huntler’s stuff together and then once his is done I’ll wash all of Gentry’s together. Well, not “together” as in ALL of it, I do create loads based on color! It used to totally overwhelm me…to the point of tears. And then Chris kept telling me it was basically my fault because I was creating work for myself! Anyway, I have been doing it the same way for five years now and I am finally at the point where it doesn’t totally stress me out anymore! In fact, I did all of their laundry {including sheets and blankets} yesterday and had it all folded and put away shortly after lunch…no stress at all!

5. I have seen on several blogs I follow links to this app for the iPhone. At a whopping .99, I finally figured out how to buy an app ON MY OWN and bought it yesterday! All it is is an application that lets you take photos and then they  ”develop” right before your eyes like a polaroid!! And if you shake your phone, they’ll pop up even faster!!

Here are the first two I took…straight out of my nifty {hand me down!} iPhone to the blog!

I am loving the vintage retro feel! Something fun and different!!

6. Gentry. The child has a closet busting at the seams with cute clothes yet she’ll go through multiple pairs of pajamas in one day. Do other kids do this? Only want to wear jammies and then want to change the said jammies several times a day? I can’t keep up with her and all her clothes already and she is only three! Hope she outgrows this phase before she’s a teenager!

7. Despite the fact that I regularly throw out random “junk” and am not one for clutter AT ALL, I worry that this same said child may be a hoarder. She carries around multiple stuffed animals and baby blankets every day. Carts them all over the house to wherever she is. I am also hoping this is a super short phase!! {Especially because I really can’t stand stuffed animals and the girl loves them!}

8. Remember my yammering on last week about all the rain we had? Well, Friday evening the kids and I ran to the grocery store and I snapped this {with my handy dandy phone!} on our way home. Just LOOK at all that water! Totally covered the sidewalk and everything. It amazes me how only four inches of rain can cause SO many problems!! It rains four inches at a time often in other parts of the United States and there are never any issues, but here, where the ground is ROCK HARD, it puddles up and causes flooding.

9. I have a super sweet photo shoot in mind and can’t wait to make it come to life! I am keeping all the details secret, but I CAN tell you that it was totally inspired by these adorable shirts I found on Jenn’s blog! {Thanks for letting me borrow your photo Jenn!} Would you believe she bought these at Wal Mart for only $5 each?!! Like Jenn, I am a fan of cute. I much prefer cheap cute opposed to expensive cute…especially since my daughter prefers jammies anyway. Sooo…thanks for sharing your fun find Jenn!!

Sidenote…if you live in KC, Jenn is an amazing photographer! Be sure to check out her site and book an appointment if you are wanting some photos taken! She is also super crafty and creative and her blog is SO much fun to read!

10.  My little sick girl is on the mend. She still has her nasty cough, but she seems better. We are skipping dance today and staying home to rest up some more, but I can tell she is starting to feel more like herself again.

And that’s it friends…Ten on Tuesday! I am off to get some things DONE today! {By the way, that little catch in my hip really is better…I have been up and moving for a couple of hours now and think I am back to myself again as well!}

Poor Gentry has one NASTY cough. It all started last week…ironically enough with the big change in weather we had. Both kids had runny noses, but as Huntler’s got better, Gentry’s did not. And then the cough started. I chalked it all up to allergies…Chris and I both have them and with rain and a weather change, it only seemed natural. I still think that is what was going on. But now? Now I am not so sure. Huntler’s sniffles have passed and he is feeling fine. Gentry, although she plays and “seems” fine, has a deep, lingering cough that sounds horrid. She also happened to be running a fever before bed last night and again this morning. I have kept her loaded up on Ibuprofen and Tylenol all day so as to keep it at bay, but I am hoping it is gone. As for the cough, no such luck.

Despite the fact that she wasn’t feeling her normal spunky self this morning, she still insisted on having her bath first thing, getting clean jammies and having me dry and curl her hair. Apparently even sick girls still like to feel pretty! So she bathed, donned her clean jams and had her hair fixed. And then she snuggled in amongst her blankets on my bed and watched Dora. She managed to sit still for two episodes and was then up and at ‘em again!

So cute and cuddly!! And then she realized I was taking her picture and started hiding under the covers from me! Lil’ stinker!! So I faked her out and started taking pictures of her sweet little polka dotted feet! She didn’t like that either! BUT…I got one!!

It just so happens that this morning I was freezing. Along with my navy velour jogging suit {because those are pretty much the only things that fit me these days!}, I pulled on some of those super soft, snuggly socks. Know which ones I am talking about? Anyway, they just happen to be blue, so my little shadow here also wanted blue socks. And then she went on and on about us both wearing boy socks today! Apparently girls should never wear anything blue. Ever. What in the world was I thinking?! Filing that one away in my mind so as not to ever buy her anything blue because she probably won’t wear it!!

So that was our day. It could have been worse so I have no complaints!! Gentry is a good sick girl…helps with the laundry and everything. I thought a lot about that today, about how much more challenging Huntler is to take care of when he is sick…how whiny he is. And Chris too. I think that even the littlest of girls must know that when you feel bad you have to just suck it up and keep going because no one else is going to do your work for you! And even the littlest of boys learn to whine, moan and lay around ALL day expecting to be waited on hand and foot!! Just some food for thought!!

WOW! What weather we are having down here in the desert! El Nino is picking up moisture from the Pacific Ocean and hammering us!! For a city that rarely gets rain {and when we do it is usually in the form of a hundredth or two}, we are getting slammed! No…it is nothing like the rain storms in the midwest or on the east coast, but two inches in the last twelve hours in addition to the inch or more we already had and it is a mess out there! Our back yard is looking more and more like a pond and the swimming pool is so full it looks like the water just wants to start pouring over the edges! Now, I LOVE it. I mean LOVE…but it is causing some issues! Lots of flooding, lots of drama.

But we are warm and cozy and safe inside listening to it pelt the windows and roof! And enjoying every second. It won’t be long until the rain moves out and the sun returns in full force. So for now we will soak it up while we can! I would love to get out and snap a pic of the back yard or the pool, but it literally has not let up all day and I am not about to venture out into sheets of rain with my camera! There is 100% chance of rain again tomorrow as well.

So…that is what we have been up to. I haven’t even gotten my camera out because it is so dark and dreary!! Maybe next week I’ll get my littles out for some fun in the sun with my camera in tow!

Here is a photo for now though. This was August of 2006. I was looking back through some photos and I love this one! It’s Huntler with my nephew. OH.MY.GOSH. Was he seriously so cute and chubby? I want him to look like that again! Seems like you blink and they are five and a half and more adult like than you ever would have imagined!!

As a mom, life is full of more daily tasks than I can even begin to list. {Although if I ever did take the time to list them all out, I would probably feel a lot more accomplished at the end of each day than I currently do!} Anyway, each day brings a lot of fun! Playdates. School parties. Dance class. Spontaneous trips to Sonic. Sidewalk chalk. Bubbles inside. The list goes on. And then there are also those certain “tasks” that aren’t so appealing. Unloading the dishwasher ALL the time. Scrubbing the mega soap scum ring on the bath tub because one of your children will happily spend two hours in the tub {great entertainment} so long as you give her a bar of soap and let her lather to her heart’s content. Dentist appointments. The list goes on.

{I was playing around with this one and did a super old school vintage number on it!! Definitely not for everything but kinda fun for this one anyway!}

And that is precisely where we found ourselves this morning – at the dentist. Huntler here…he was a rock star. I would be shocked if he ever acted differently. His very first trip {at three} he refused to open his mouth and cooperate, but ever since then, he has been fine. He has even had cavities filled and remains unphased. Today was no different. That’s the good news. The not so good news…he has FOUR cavities and has to go back in next week for fillings. Blah. It is obviously our fault – he is only five after all. He can’t be expected to brush and floss his teeth all on his own! And he isn’t…this is just one area where we are super lax. However, once she told me that it is going to cost us $262.00 when I haul him back in next week, I vowed then and there to become a better teeth brusher and flosser!

I don’t dread taking Huntler in. I don’t mind it at all in fact. But Gentry on the other hand? There are no words to describe her other than that screaming and hysterical child that you are always so thankful isn’t yours. But it just so happens – she IS mine.

Her first appointment was six months ago. She had just turned three. Cried, screamed, carried on, refused to cooperate. Okay. That’s fine. Huntler didn’t fair so well at three either. I was hoping this trip would be better. However, two weeks ago when I had my six month cleaning and she about had a complete breakdown and Chris had to stay home with her, I knew things weren’t looking up. We can’t even drive by the dentist office without her having an anxiety attack.

For the past week I have been talking it up. YAY! “If you are good and let the dentist look at your teeth you get to pick out a prize.” And, “If you cooperate you can have candy when you’re done.” I tried it all. Not one bit of enthusiasm. She would rather do without the prize and the candy…which is saying a lot for her! As we would talk about the appointment she would say, “But I don’t have to go. I have dance, right?” She was bound and determined she was getting out of it! Even last night Chris was talking to her and told her that he was going in a couple of weeks and she said, “Okay. I’ll go in a couple of weeks when I’m bigger. Right?” The girl is no slouch!

So we pull up this morning after dance. Instant panic attack on her part. Tears are flowing and she is freaking out on me. I have to carry her in where she then sits on my lap the entire time we are waiting refusing to make eye contact or respond to anyone. Once we get back and Huntler is in the chair having his teeth cleaned, she finally loosens up a bit. She is actually even friendly to the hygienist. And then Huntler is done and she is up. Sheer terror. Feeling slightly defeated because I really wanted pics of her too, I opt to let her sit on my lap. Still a no go. Screaming. Crying. Shaking. Shoving my shirt in her mouth so there is no room for anything else. Yep…that is what happened. We only tried forcing her for a minute and when she was obviously not going to relax, we gave up and I was sent on my happy little way with a referral to a pediatric dentist. Called the pediatric dentist – they don’t accept our insurance. So here I am back at square one.

I have NO clue where her fear comes from. She has only been the one other time with Huntler and he was fine. No fits. No drama. He wasn’t scared or panicked. I have NO clue why she is so terrified. Bless her heart though…when I was holding her and she was in hysterics, her heart was beating so hard and so fast!

Just another day in the life! I am thinking next time Daddy needs to take care of this task!!

You know those random moments that trigger flashbacks to your own childhood? A smell. A song. A tattered photo you happen upon stashed in a pile of papers. Those bits and pieces of the past that rarely surface during the day to day grind of life, yet when they do you find yourself wonderfully surprised? Like many, the everyday chaos rules my world and those trips down memory lane to my own youth only find a glimpse into the present on occasion. But today, today I went there.

I went back to a time when I myself was probably only seven or eight and all those nights spent on my grandma and grandpa’s farm. The memories are there – crystal clear in fact – but rare is the day when I actually find the time to reflect on those years gone by. As I was sifting through images from New Year’s Eve, my mind wandered…wandered all the way back to that drafty, tiny little farm house where so many hours were spent and many more memories created. To a house with trees as old as time and a well that seemed deeper than infinity. A house with windows that rattled in the blustery Kansas winds and where wheat fields surrounded you on every side. Back to a time where worries were non existent and happiness ruled.

One of the things I remember most about that old farm house with its dark walls and low ceilings are the moments in the kitchen. My grandparents had this old fashioned popcorn popper with a yellow dome. The kind that you poured butter into along with your seeds and a rotating lever went around and around and popped your popcorn. Super dangerous and definitely not healthy I am sure!! My grandpa would always make us popcorn when we spent the night! Always.

I hadn’t really thought about that until today when I was sifting through these images of my dad and the kids. Awhile back he stumbled upon this smore maker and knew the kids would love it. He was right…they had a ball! As I edited each and every one of these and saw the joy on everyone’s face and thought of the memories being made, my heart smiled. But it also broke a little too. These moments are the ones I so desperately want for my kids…fun times with grandma and grandpa. Often. Not just twice a year.

Here is papa…blowing out a firey marshmallow! I love the girls’ expressions here!

And our little brown eyed boy so full of wonder and amazement himself…

These two…thank goodness they are cousins and not sisters because there is no doubt in my mind that they would be up to NO good ALL the time. Only ten months apart (Taverli is older), they chatted and played and did all things girl. They also both happen to be quite sassy and quite opinionated. And ornery. I bet you would never guess that from this picture, now would you?!

Lucky for me, Tavi LOVES the camera. As in she can’t get enough of it…cheesy little grin and all. Her mama {my sis} had to warn her that for her school pictures they would only be taking one shot. They weren’t like Aunt Bethany who takes hundreds!

Savoring the moment…

This could be dangerous!! There was only one instance the entire night where I was worried about a pigtail catching on fire! It happened when they were blowing out a firey marshmallow and it got a little too close!

I rarely bust my camera out at night. I am not a big fan of the flash – and I really don’t have a clue how to use it!! {One of my goals is to read that manual soon and get a better understanding of the beast!!} That being said, I am SO GLAD I decided to get it out! These images are priceless…not only to me but I am sure my parents as well! Thanks for all the fun Papa!

Where has the weekend gone? Chris had to go out of town for a few days this past week and didn’t get home until last night. Because of that I feel like we have had NO weekend! I am fortunate in that he doesn’t have to travel too much, but when he does it is usually during the week. I don’t ever remember a time where he has gotten in on a Saturday night!! And I certainly don’t like it – our weekend just vanished!

Since I was home alone with two energetic littles {and a not so energetic mama}, Chris has stepped in and entertained today! He busted out the bounce house and they have spent hours out back playing!! We should have two tired little kidlets this evening!

Anyway, apparently “Reindeer” has been feeling a bit left out of the photos lately because he wanted his picture taken today. I happily obliged. Of course I was far more interested in the brown eyed little boy than the reindeer, but it made Huntler happy!

On a completely random note, I need some ideas! Huntler has decided he wants to go with the fire truck theme for his Valentine’s this year. I am trying to come up with some creative wording…any ideas? I posted on Facebook but NO ONE replied!! Don’t be shy people!! Hit me with your best shot!

And speaking of Facebook, I continue to get lots of friend requests. It is NOTHING personal since I obviously don’t know you, but I am trying to keep my personal page just for friends and family. I do have a Hissyfits page though and you are more than welcome to follow along with that!