Another Day in Paradise

I Heart Faces "Best Face in February"

2011-03-08T14:34:00.000-06:00

I haven't been blogging in a long time. I saw what this week's theme was on I Heart Faces and decided I just needed to enter. I need to get back into these challenges and really start pushing the limits with my photography. I have been really busy over the past few months. We added a new member to our family, my photography business is picking up, and we are getting ready for a move due to the military. But despite all the chaos going on around me, I am still trying to find the time to do what I love...photographing life as if happens. Here is a photo of my sweet one! This is my middle girl, she is such a loving, caring little thing. I heart her!

Day 17/365

2011-01-17T22:28:00.000-06:00

Wow...5 years old today and it seems like just yesterday when Kambry was born. Here is the princess cake she wanted so badly. Happy Birthday Little Miss Cinderella!

Day 16/365

2011-01-16T22:25:00.000-06:00

Here is the beautiful sunrise taken through a window at work. Yes, I was already at work when the sun was rising...not my idea of fun though.

Day 15/365

2011-01-15T22:22:00.000-06:00

You wouldn't know it from this picture, but today was my first day back to work. I was exhausted from it all and as bedtime was getting near this is the picture I took. McKenna was all snuggled in..and so was I shortly after this photo was taken.

Day 14/365

2011-01-14T22:20:00.000-06:00

Yes, this is a picture of some tires. My husband decided it was time to get rid of the old and start with the new. These are the old...so I thought I would take a picture of them...they have seen better days huh??

Day 13/365

2011-01-13T22:18:00.000-06:00

This was just a very quick one today. Some silk flowers laying around the house. I do like the bright colors though.

Day 12/365

2011-01-12T22:16:00.000-06:00

My sweet Aislynn...dreaming away. It's the very short sweet moments like this that make my heart melt.

Day 11/365

2011-01-11T16:26:00.000-06:00

I live in Florida. It's supposed to be warm and sunny and beautiful all the time right?? Well, not today. It's a windy cold day here. The kind of day where I want to stay in and sit by the warm fire. So, that's exactly what I think I will do. These flowers on the other hand, they just had to tough it out, the cold that is. The cold won.

I titled this one "The Dead of Winter"

Day 10/365

2011-01-10T17:51:00.000-06:00

I figured it was time to persuade my oldest to step in front of the camera again. She amused me for about 3 1/2 minutes. I just got this super cute headband from Kristen Caldwell Photography and decided I needed to test it out on her. It looks great!

Day 9/365

2011-01-09T17:44:00.000-06:00

I know this one may be a little boring for some, but I was running out of time and light. So, this is my glass in my front door. I changed the hue a little to add some pretty blue to it. Hope everyone had a great Sunday!

Day 8/365

2011-01-08T16:59:00.000-06:00

I decided to go with a self portrait since I often don't get into too many photos myself. I will try to do better this year about documenting myself just as much as my family!

Day 7/365

2011-01-07T16:57:00.000-06:00

He's just growing up right before me! I love his big blue eyes and his silly face when he just stares at me. I love this boy!

Day 6/365

2011-01-06T15:20:00.000-06:00

My little camera hog...Kambry. She had the idea to take some photos today in the backyard. At least one of them is willing to let me indulge a little.

Day 5/365 and Happy Birthday McKenna!

2011-01-05T15:18:00.000-06:00

Yes, my once little baby girl is now a whopping 7 years old!! Wow, I just don't know what to say. She has grown into quite a young lady. She is in 1st grade, soaking up all the knowledge she can handle, while still being a fun loving kid. She is very excited to soon be moving into her own room and wants to take part in the decorating process. For my photo today, here is a pic of her opening a present with her two sisters by her side.

Day 4/365

2011-01-04T16:27:00.000-06:00

I was not feeling all that inspired today so I took the dog out back and snapped this one of him. He's a good dog...most of the time. I love all the colors in his coat and his one blue eye and one brown eye.

Day 3/365

2011-01-03T15:28:00.000-06:00

Today was the first day for the girls to go back to school. So, this morning it was just me, Aislynn, and Branson. She doesn't do the best job of listening at times and when I have had enough...she gets a time out. My little girl has so much attitude it's hard to not laugh at her even though she's throwing a fit. Here is a bit of her attitude in time out.

Day 2/365

2011-01-02T16:18:00.000-06:00

So today was the day to begin saying goodbye to the holidays. It's always a sad day to start putting things away, taking down the Christmas lights outside, undecorating the tree. But it has to be done. Now we get to start looking forward to next year, right??

Day 1/365

2011-01-01T20:53:00.000-06:00

I didn't do anything exciting last night for New Year's Eve. I didn't really do anything today for New Year's Day. The weather was gloomy and rainy all day, we all stayed in our pajamas and had a lazy day around the house. I did, however, pick up my camera and took this shot for my first of 365 photos this year.

A New Year, A New Project

2011-01-01T20:45:00.000-06:00

Another year has past, another year is before us. What better way to help me get my butt in gear and get back to the blog. I have decided that this year I am going to attempt Project 365 for a couple of reasons. The first is to document this year in my life through photos. The second is to help me build my photography skills by making me pick up the camera each and every day and find different ways of taking photos and editing them. I really, really hope that I can look back at the end of the year and have 365 days worth of photos to be proud of.

Branson's Birth Story

2010-11-23T19:40:00.000-06:00

I figured I better sit down and type this up one day or else I will forget all the fun details of that day. So, here goes...

The morning started out pretty normal as any other morning in the Macmanus Family. McKenna was off to school early, my husband and I took Kambry to VPK and then we headed over to the OB clinic with Aislynn for what I was hoping to be my last appointment until the baby arrived. You see, I was actually scheduled for an induction on November 17th if the baby had not come by then. I saw my midwife and asked her to check me and try stripping my membranes to see if that would make anything happen. In the past it never worked. With Aislynn she stripped me three times before I actually went into labor with her so I just thought this wouldn't work either but it was worth a try. Let me say, it was very uncomfortable but it was for a good cause in my mind...to have a baby. After the appointment we grabbed some breakfast and then Bart left for work and I went home and decided to go ahead and try to get my bag somewhat packed just in case something happened that night. It was my last day of work and I knew since it was a Tuesday that it would probably be busy so I needed to go in unless for some reason I just couldn't. I was having a few contractions off and on but nothing different than the previous days. So, off to work I was. As I was getting report I was noticing that I would have a decent contraction every now and then and they seemed a little stronger than earlier in the day. I just blew it off thinking they would go away. I was pretty busy at work that day, no time to relax as I had nine patients to see. I ended up walking the halls a lot that evening because I was assigned the two farthest rooms on the floor. It wasn't on purpose, that's just how it worked out. As the next couple of hours past I noticed that my contractions weren't getting any better, in fact they started coming closer together. But since we were busy and I had work to do I don't think it really came to my attention just how close I was contracting and that I would actually have to stop for a minute during some contractions. By 7pm I was pretty sure that labor was upon me. As I sat at my computer trying to get all of my charting done I know I had a few tears running down my face. It was partly the fact that I didn't know if I was really ready to be in labor, partly the contractions were getting much stronger, and partly because I knew how busy work was and I wanted to finish the shift. Well, that was not going to happen. I finished up my charting as quickly as I could and then went and laid down on a triage bed. I got hooked up to the monitor to see what was going on and then I realized just how close to having a baby I could be. My contractions were coming every 1 1/2- 2 minutes and not slowing down. I quickly made the decision that I needed to get to the hospital where my midwife was, where all my charts were, and it was closer to my house. I left work and drove straight to the hospital I was planning all along on delivering my baby at. It took me about twenty minutes to get there but as I pulled up in the parking lot, a friend and family practice doctor happened to be walking to her car and she grabbed a wheelchair and took me up to labor and delivery. I went straight to a labor room, they were waiting for me and started the IV and admission papers right away. I was checked and found to be 5 cm dilated and 80% effaced. I was in active labor and was having a baby that night. My husband met me at the hospital along with my photography partner, Ryan. It was good timing as they got there just a little after my arrival. Once I got all settled in it was just a waiting game from there. I had already planned on having a drug free birth. Since I did that with Aislynn I figured I could do it again. I think I was handling the contractions pretty well for the first couple of hours. Around 10pm they became much more intense and by 10:45pm I remember saying to my husband, "this baby better be here by 11pm because I am done." I believe within the next 5 minutes I felt the urge to push. The nurse checked me and I was 9 with an anterior lip. The doctors came in, the corpsmen came in, I felt as if it was a show I was putting on for them. You see, I was at a military teaching hospital so everyone and their granny came on in for the birth of my baby. I started pushing and the head came out pretty easily. Then I remember everyone telling me to push, push harder. It seemed like forever and I was pushing as hard as I could and the nursed started adjust my legs and the angle of my body and I think I realized in a brief moment that he was stuck. I had a mild shoulder dystocia with Aislynn and prior to delivery was concerned that it would happen with this baby too. Sure enough it did. But what seemed like forever was probably less than a minute and I gave it my best push and could feel him budge and then slip on out. Branson Edward Macmanus was born at 10:57pm weighing 8 lbs, 9 ounces and 20 inches long. I remember being relieved as soon as he was out and then asking....what is it?? They had to look and then gave us the news we were hoping for that it was a baby boy! We were all so excited to finally have a boy in the family. This was our last baby so it was the last chance we had. Of course we would have been just as happy with a girl, they are precious too. He was the biggest of all of my babies and was also the earliest. He was born at 38 weeks and 2 days. Because of the rapid decent and quick delivery he was a little bruised on the face but it resolved quickly. I went home a couple of days later and have had no problems so far. We think he is the perfect baby boy and couldn't be happier.
Here are a few pics of him over the past week.

It's Official...A Boy!!

2010-11-12T17:50:00.000-06:00

I cannot believe that it has really been a whole month since I posted. My life has taken over and the blog got put on the back burner. Anyways...on to the news...

On Tuesday night at 10:57pm I gave birth to a beautiful, big baby BOY! He was 8lbs, 9 ounces and 20 inches long. I am so glad that he came a little early or else I would have been in for over a 9lb baby. Our lives are forever changed once again. I hope to be able to type up his birth story very soon but for now I am just doing a little post.

So, introducing Branson Edward to all of you:

For those of you wondering

2010-10-13T09:02:00.000-05:00

Okay, so I didn't do such a good job of posting after I said I would on the last post.

I am bad!

I am going to try and make up for it here. I got some maternity photos done with the family last week and I think they turned out cute. Here are some of my favs for those of you that don't see my FB posts.

The pregnancy is trucking right along. I just need to make it to the end of October and then whatever happens after that just happens. I am still working for those of you wondering. Some weeks are busier than others and some weeks I have more photo shoots than others but I am trying to work it all out this month. I will probably be taking some time off from everything once the baby arrives. I am excited that I don't have to worry about working during the holidays with a new little one around. This baby is going to be born just at the right time for me to be off for Thanksgiving and Christmas and New Years!!

The girls are all so excited to meet this new little one. McKenna expressed to me many times that she really wants to be there when the baby comes out. I talked to my midwife about it and she is all for it as long as she knows what to expect. Honestly, I think she would do just fine, the thing I would be worried about is that Kambry would want to be there too. One thing leads to another and the whole family is in presence. I haven't fully decided what I am going to do. When Aislynn was born it was just my husband and I. It was nice, quiet and quick. Since I know this is going to be my last I leaning more on the side of letting the girls in if they want to be there. Has anyone else dealt with a situation like this?

Halloween is quickly approaching and the girls are already ready for it to be here. I think they just like the dressing up and candy part...who doesn't right? This year McKenna has decided to be a snow princess, Kambry is a unicorn and Aislynn will either be super girl or a scarecrow witch...really cute outfit Kambry wore a couple years back. I am not sure if we are going to do as much decorating this year as we have in the past. We will probably put some stuff out that last week of October and call it good.

As much as I would love to just keep going with this post, I really need to get back to some editing. Trying to get it all done before Friday. I hope everyone I keep up with is doing great! Sorry again it took so long to re post. Working on being better, I promise.

-Lindsay

Trying to stay awake

2010-09-27T15:58:00.000-05:00

I find it hard these days to keep my eyes open, yet I find it hard to sleep. With every pregnancy I get restless legs and they drive me crazy. I have had to resort to taking tylenol PM at night sometimes just so I can fall asleep sooner than an hour and a half. The downside is that I feel like a trainwreck the next day. I am so exhausted yet I slept all night. I guess I have to just deal with one thing or another.
The girls have been keeping me super busy. I feel like I am constantly running around somewhere to drop someone off or pick someone up. Since we got back from Texas I finally edited a few photos of me and the girls. For those of you that see my FB page these will not be new to you. But, I have some blog buddies that haven't seen them so I am going to post them here as well.
Here's the belly at 30 weeks:

Me and the girls:

The girls alone:

I can't think of much else to talk about right now. This weekend I am taking pics at a wedding so I will be very busy with that. My husband has another triathlon that same morning as well. I am staying very busy with the photography business. If you care to look you can find us at http://www.sunflarephotography.com/ or our FB page is http://www.facebook.com/pages/Orange-Beach-AL/Sun-Flare-Photography/137604436274027?ref=sgm . I hope to be back soon, but I can't promise anything these days.

Yes, I am alive.

2010-09-16T15:59:00.000-05:00

I know, I know...I have been a horrible blogger lately. I am still alive and things are good. I have just been really busy with the new photography business and I just had another trip back to Texas to see family. I am going to try hard to get a decent post up here again in the near future. But for now..here's what's going on:
Still pregnant..just about 31 weeks and counting.
McKenna is in first grade and doing well.
Kambry started pre kindergarten and loves it.
Aislynn is talking up a storm and giving us attitude all the time. We are going to have our hands full as she grows up.
I am still working about two days a week and I still love it.
My husband finished his second Olympic distance triathlon and did well. He cut 15 min off his previous time!
Hope to catch up with all my bloggy friends soon...just trying to keep up with life.
-Lindsay

Need Help..Photo Stuff

2010-08-27T12:50:00.000-05:00

I am trying to figure out how to make rounded corners in photoshop but so far no luck. Does anyone have an easy way to do it. This is what I did in Picnik, still not exactly what I want because I have to have a white background for it to look right but gotta keep trying.

I Heart Faces "Beach"

2010-08-23T08:57:00.000-05:00

Those of you that follow my blog on a regular basis probably thought I fell off the bandwagon with I Heart Faces. Well, I kind of did for a while. But I want to jump back on and this seems to be the week to do it! I live in Pensacola, FL so that gives me ample opportunity to see the beach. Sometimes I feel as if I don't see it enough being so close and all and other times I just plain get tired of it. Here's a shot that is dear to my heart because it's of my two girls sitting at the ocean's edge just weeks before the oil hit our beautiful beaches. Though they are recovering from the oil, it's just not the same.

Happy Birthday Aislynn...You're 2!

2010-08-22T21:14:00.000-05:00

My baby turned 2 today. sniff, sniff. I can hardly believe that it's been a full two years since the day she was born. Aislynn is by far my spunkiest babe! She has an attitude all her own and loves to show it off. I just love how much she plays with her sisters and wants to be just like them. We had a small get together with a few friends for her celebration. After some singing and cake we played and opened presents. She had such a good time! Here are some photos from today:

Pregnancy Update Plus More

2010-08-20T09:58:00.001-05:00

Well I seem to be trucking right along in this pregnancy. The first trimester seemed to really drag but before long I will be entering into my third trimester and that is call for celebration. I am still feeling pretty good for the most part. Those braxton hicks contractions seem to be more often these days and can really get annoying but other than being soooo big I can't really complain. I know everyone thinks I am being silly for talking about how big I am all the time but now I have proof I am big! I had a Dr appt yesterday and I am measuring 4 weeks bigger than I am! Wowza. So, the plan is to see if it continues and if I am still measuring big at my next appt we will do an ultrasound for growth to see what's going on with my little one. I did my glucose screening as well yesterday and that was just yucky. I usually don't have a problem drinking those orange drinks but I guess yesterday morning was a different story. I felt nauseous as I was trying to force it down. You know, they say you have to drink the whole thing in 5 min. I really hope that it doesn't come back high. The night before at work I indulged in a few too many pieces of cake because it was a friend's birthday. I have never had a problem in the past with diabetes but knowing my luck this will be the time.

Now, to totally change subjects on you, I haven't really talked about my new business much. I guess I had been doing so much with it and I wanted things to be in place before I threw it out there. A photog friend of mine and I decided to start a photography business here in Pensacola. Our website is up and running! Please check it out and let me know what you think. Is there something I should change? Can you navigate it easily? Do you like the music? I am really looking for honesty. That's the only way I will improve. Here's the link: Sun Flare Photography

I hope everyone is ready for school to start if it hasn't already. I know my girls are looking forward to it as am I. It's nice to get them involved in something again, and keep them busy. This weekend is Aislynn's 2nd Birthday. We will be having a couple of friends over to celebrate the day. Wow...2 already, I can hardly believe it!

Home from Disney...lots to talk about

2010-08-16T15:39:00.000-05:00

It's been about a week since we have been home from Disney World and I have been meaning to sit down and blog about it but kept procrastinating. So, finally here it is. We left on a Wednesday fully intending to get to Orlando in the early afternoon, check into the hotel and hit the park till closing. Well, since we didn't actually map it out and tried using our memory from last year we thought the trip would take about 6 hours. I don't know how both my husband and I miscalculated (misremembered) the drive time and forgot about the time change but we did. So, what we thought was originally going to be a six hour drive time turned into eight and then in addition losing the hour from our house to Orlando that we ended up getting there three hours after we planned. Luckily for us, we were both off the day after we were originally going to come back that we decided to just stay an extra day and enjoy the evening at the hotel. The girls got to play in the pool and we went to bed early ready for the next day! The first park we went to was Hollywood Studios. We didn't go there last year so we knew we wanted to spend one day there this year. It was fun, the girls wanted to do more rides but there aren't many kid rides there so we saw shows and did as much stuff they wanted to do as possible. My husband was able to ride the Tower of Terror and the Star Tours ride and he said those were fun too! The weather was actually pretty nice. As long as it wasn't raining all day we were happy.

For the two days after that we went to Magic Kingdom. When I think of Disney, I think Magic Kingdom. To me, it's the best park of them all. I could spend days there and still not get bored. The girls got their faces painted the first day...it was so cute, but the hot weather made for some sweaty girls and I don't think that the paint was ever able to dry. By the end of the day you could hardly tell they had anything on.

The second day at Magic Kingdom started with a visit to Downtown Disney to the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. The girls absolutely loved getting all dolled up! They put their princess dresses on and were ready to princesses for the day. When we got to the MK we went straight to meet the princesses before their makeup and hair did some funky. Needless to say, with all the gel they use, that hair was not going anywhere. The last day of our trip we spent at Animal Kingdom. It rained a little off and on this day but we still managed to have a good time. Everyone but me did the Safari right when we got there. We watched the Lion King show and that was really good. Then Dada and McKenna did Expedition Everest and The Kali River Rapids and seemed to enjoy it a lot. The younger girls and I rode the Triceratops Spin and walked around. Even though we just got home a week ago we are already to go back. Disney World...Where Dreams Come True! We love it there.

My Growing Aislynn

2010-07-30T13:53:00.000-05:00

I was trying to play around with the new camera yesterday. Aislynn was cooperating a little, just enough. It's been so hot that I haven't really felt like getting out and dragging all three girls with me so I just haven't been taking a lot of photos lately. I just need to do it anyways I suppose. Well, here are some indoor, in my bedroom, not the best lighting pics. She is getting so big. In just under a month she will be two years old!

The Upcoming Weeks

2010-07-30T08:21:00.000-05:00

The summer is coming to an end very quickly and we are trying to fit in a couple more adventures before the girls go back to school and there is more of a routine. In the very near future we are headed back to Disney World again. The girls are so very excited as they seem to remember a lot from last years visit. We are mainly going to do a lot of the evening and night activities this year and let the girls play in the pool at the hotel during the hot morning, lunch and, early afternoon hours. I won't be able to do the "big rides" this year but it all works out because it's just us and the girls going this year. We are going to take our time and enjoy the day. No rushing to do this or that...just a nice easy going vacation. We are spoiling the girls this year by taking them to the Bibbidy Bobbidy Boutique so they can get their hair and make up done like a princess. I know they will just love it! I had to go out and buy another card for my camera so I can capture all the wonderful memories of the trip. We are just hoping that the weather is better than when we went last year and it poured rain on us every day. I can guarantee you though, we will be prepared for the rain if it shall come. With ponchos and rain covers in tow....we will make the most of what we can.
Then the next month we are headed back to the great state of Texas to do one last visit before the baby comes. I get to go cheer my hubby on again for another triathlon and eat some wonderful Texas style food. We really can't wait to do both of these vacations. In between all this madness I am still working two to three days a week, working on photography stuff, taking care of three kiddos(four at times in if you count the big kid in the house), and trying my best to keep things clean. Sometimes the cleaning gets put on the back burner.
Hope everyone has a great weekend and I will update as I can.

Finally...the huge belly

2010-07-22T22:51:00.000-05:00

Well I got my friend to take a couple of pics of my today so I could show everyone this huge belly I have. I know it's big for just 23 weeks but it's mine and I wear it proud. I am hoping to just have about 16 more weeks to go. That would put me at around 39 weeks which is good enough for me. Knowing my luck, and my past, though, this baby will probably wait until 40 weeks +. That's just my luck. I am surviving the heat this summer. It's actually going by rather quickly. Anyways, on to the photos...

My New Body

2010-07-17T19:43:00.000-05:00

I know I made a reference the other day to do with a body. I got a new body...a new camera body that is. I know those of you that aren't as into photography as I am might find this a bit of a let down...but to me, it's a step in the right direction. I am so excited to actually start using it now. It arrived a few days ago and I have been pretty busy with work and the home life that I haven't really done much with it yet. As soon as I start using it, I promise to post some pics. So, here he is:

I am calling it a "him" because of the name: 5D MarkII
YEAH!!!

My Girls.

2010-07-15T23:00:00.000-05:00

In case you forgot what they looked like. I know I haven't been good about posting pictures of them...so here they are! I also have a new announcement to make coming soon....has to do with a body. Hmmm, did you guess it yet?

Mid July Already?

2010-07-15T09:38:00.000-05:00

Wow, I just don't know where this summer is going? I am glad, however, that it is going by fast for the sake of hotness and preggoness. I am still feeling pretty good for the most part. The baby is really starting to get very strong in there already and I don't know if I am quite ready for the constant punches all day long. I am still sleeping okay, as long as I remember to take my nexium. That heartburn thing can be a killer sometimes. I go in for another check up on Friday. I am sure I will up by more pounds than I wish to be though. Last night I had another double vision episode. This has really only happened fours times in my life that I can remember. Three of those times occurring while pregnant. I don't know what it means but it is kinda scary at the time. I can't walk straight or really do anything. I just have to sit there and wait it out. It resolved in about 20-25 minutes this time, a little longer than my last one. If this keeps up I am definitely going to have to see someone about it. I know, I still don't have a belly pic. I guess this time around I am actually avoiding the camera. I am not a cute preggo anymore, I have turned to a blimp and so that's why it's taking so long to get me to take a photo. I do promise I am still working on it.

But as far as pictures go I said I was going to post some from my beach session a couple weeks ago. Here are a few of my favs...can't wait to take more!

Our Newest Baby

2010-07-12T21:08:00.000-05:00

Last week I had my ultrasound done and I am just now getting around to blogging about it. All went well it seemed and the baby was again very very active for the tech. She did manage however to get all the shots she needed. Since we decided to not find out the sex she was very good at making sure we didn't look when she went down to the leg region. We have our ideas about what it may be but really we won't know for sure until it is born. As long as this is a healthy happy baby we will be just as happy no matter what. We did manage to walk away with a couple cute profile photos of baby Mac #4. Notice in the second one the baby has it's hand on it's chin. I think it's really cute.

I promise I am working on starting belly shots. Trust me, it's way out there already, and not in the prettiest of ways.
In other random news, my car broke down on me on my way home from work on Friday night. It was no fun. I was driving home at 11:30pm and I knew I was having trouble because I had some driving into work. I thought I would be able to make it home and we could take a look at it in the morning. My mistake. I got all but 3 miles from the house and I couldn't go any longer. My engine was smoking...I had to stop. I called the hubby and he had to wake up the girls and come pick me up. We stopped by Wal Mart, got some coolant and tried to fix it enough to get it home...no luck! I think I got to be finally around 2 am. But, I actually had some good come of all of this. We had the car towed to a dealer on Sat. They took a look at it today and luckily everything was still covered under warranty. We decided to go ahead and get the oil changed while it was there too. They even fixed a recalled item that we didn't even think about. When I went to pick it up not only did they not charge me for the oil change, I got a check for $100 for getting the recalled item serviced there. I guess every now and then it pays to have your car break down!
Also, more photos coming soon. I did another beach photo shoot last week and I am just about done editing. It's work, but it's fun.

Quick Engagement Session

2010-07-07T14:16:00.000-05:00

I have been trying to work with the weather for over a week now. Here in Florida we get those pop up showers all the time in the afternoon. I wasn't sure if we were going to be able to fit this in or not but when the time rolled around the weather parted for a little bit. There was even a small patch of blue sky!! I can't wait to photograph these two lovebirds in the Fall for their wedding. It's going to be so much fun.

Another Beautiful Newborn

2010-07-02T23:29:00.000-05:00

I am really loving these newborn sessions. Each one holds something different. This time I met up with the one week old that I photographed being born. She is already changing and growing right before my eyes. She was just a doll. Her mom and aunt were by her side and they were so easy going and fun to be around. I will be quiet now and show you what you really want to see anyways.

Oh, and I have decided on a name for my business when I become official. In case you missed it on all the photos it's Lindsay Mac Photography. Do you like it? I took lots more but these were some of my favs.

I Heart Faces "Pets"

2010-06-29T15:29:00.000-05:00

Wow, I really can't believe how long it has been since I entered a weekly photo at I Heart Faces. Each week I keep telling myself I am going to start doing this again and then Monday comes and goes and then Tuesday comes and goes and my chance is over and the week is gone. This has gone on way too long. So, this week, pets week, I decided to start again. This is a photo I took of my cat one day when playing around with lenses. He is so spoiled...can you tell he thinks he is the MAN? If you would like to play along too, please go to I Heart Faces and enter today.

Sweet Newborn Boy

2010-06-28T13:38:00.000-05:00

One of my good photog friends recently had a baby boy. So, of course I begged her to come over and do a few newborn photos of him. He was so good, just laid there and looked around...didn't fuss one bit. He also didn't sleep. As much as I love sleeping babies, I also love watching these little ones look around and try to figure out their new world. Here are my favs:

Just about halfway there

2010-06-27T21:28:00.001-05:00

Being halfway through your pregnancy is 1) a good thing that time is actually moving forward, 2) a bad thing because you still have 20 more weeks to go, but 3) great because you have made it this far without any complications or real reasons to complain. Don't get me wrong, I am not happy at all about how my belly is way bigger than I think it should be right now but I am dealing with it. I keep thinking about getting through the awfully hot summer and growing bigger and bigger each week. I am feeling the baby move pretty regularly now. It's funny how at first you aren't sure if that is what you are feeling or if it's your belly telling you it's hungry or just your food digesting. But at this point I am fairly certain what I am feeling all the time is that little one kicking about in there. It really is a neat feeling, something that is hard to explain. All you moms out there know just what I am talking about. It's also the one thing that I miss once the baby is born. My husband asked me today if I was feeling the baby move yet and I told him I was. He asked if it was too early to feel it from the outside and I said yes but hopefully in a few more weeks he will be able to feel those punches from the outside that I am feeling from the inside. Since we are not finding out the sex of the baby we are coming up with boy and girl names. We have a couple good ideas but are still looking in case another name pops out as us that we just love. Does anyone have any names that they really love? We are looking for boy names that begin with B. The middle name is going to be Edward because that is my husbands middle name and we are going to keep the same initials. If the baby is a girl we are open to any name. I don't really like names that everyone else has right now, I like something a little different but not too different. I think we are so picky but I guess that's how you have to be sometimes. We are going next week for my ultrasound even though we aren't finding out the sex it will still be nice to see the baby and make sure everything is still on track as it should be. I will post ultrasound photos when I get them. I hope the next few months go quickly because I can't wait to meet this little one and introduce him or her to all of you!

Something New

2010-06-23T15:08:00.001-05:00

I have to admit that I have been horrible about keeping up with all the blogs I love to read. I am just trying to stay afloat with my own blog which is still sinking quickly. I've been having some pick up in my number of photo sessions lately and that has kept me busy too. I am very excited about shooting a wedding again in October. I know I will still be a little nervous about it but hopefully not as much as last time. Now, you are probably wondering what the "something new" thing is all about. Well, I was lucky enough to photograph my first birth session. It was wonderful. The new mom was also gracious enough to let me use the slideshow I made as advertising so I can show others what I can offer. So, here it is(Be sure to have your sound turned on, it makes the video better):

Funny, but I still get teary everytime I look at it.
I promise I am trying my hardest to post more, just sometimes I have a little too much going on all at once.

I'm So Excited

2010-06-18T14:05:00.000-05:00

While I was in Texas for my mini vacation I was thrilled about the fact that the I Heart Faces Photo walk was going on the same time I was in Austin! We met up in downtown and the weather turned out to not be as bad as I was expecting. As our leaders walked us around we took pictures of anything and everything our hearts desired. We even had a couple models to use as well. Here are a few of my favorites from that day:

The reason I am so excited is that my photo (pictured below) won for the Austin walk. I was around so many talented photographers that I didn't think I even stood a chance. Wow, what an honor!! To see the other picks from the walk across the country click here.

Fix It Friday #59

2010-06-18T09:12:00.000-05:00

It really has been a long time since I participated in a Fix It Friday at I Heart Faces. But this week how could I resist with such a big eyed cute baby girl? Here is the original:

And here are my "fixes". I always like to do a color version and then something else. I went with the black and white to show off those dark eyes and creamy skin.

A Hot Day and a Sweet Girl

2010-06-17T16:08:00.000-05:00

Boy was the sun beating down very early this morning. But that didn't stop this little cutie from enjoying the sand. She was a little weary of the water...but I am too now that it's full of yucky oil. Even though we were all sweating up a storm, she did very well for a quick photo shoot. Here is a small preview from this morning.

Going to the beach...while we can

2010-06-14T16:08:00.000-05:00

Last Thursday evening we decided to take the girls to the beach again while we could. Who knew really when it would hit and how bad it would be anyways. Though we were only there for about an hour, the girls had the best time. They ran and splashed and tried to build a sandcastle. Aislynn was happy in her sand, staying mostly away from the water. She did venture up to daddy once though. I will be sad to not be able to enjoy this all summer long. Oil, go away...and don't ever come back.

Capital of Texas Triathlon

2010-06-10T16:51:00.000-05:00

It was Memorial Day.

The sun was rising, it was going to be a beautiful day for a race.

My husband competed in the CapTex Triathlon. He did the Olympic distance which was his first of this one. It consisted of a 1500 meter swim, then a 40K bike, and a 10K run.

His mom and I were in attendance. We had a great time cheering him on. We can't wait for the next one. Hopefully soon! Here are some photos from the day.

Back from Vacation

2010-06-10T16:01:00.000-05:00

We are officially back from our lovely quick visit to Texas as of Tues night. We were very busy most of the time. The girls got lots of pool time, we got to visit with friends and family, we all ate lots of yummy Texas food, and we can't wait to go back again. While there, my husband had a triathlon on Memorial Day. It was so much fun to go out and support him. We had more family portraits made by Julie Rivera who took some for us last year too. What I have seen so far are very cute, she does such a great job. If you are in the Austin/Waco area you should look her up and get some photos done of your own. I am planning on catching up on some posts in the next couple of days. Hope all of you bloggy buddies are doing well.

Long Time Coming: Beach Maternity

2010-06-02T08:53:00.000-05:00

With me gearing up for my Texas trip and all I have totally fell behind on my blog. I guess when you have a million things to do, including taking care of three kids, a husband, three pets and being pregnant, the computer time gets cut first. I did, however, manage to sneak away a couple of weeks ago to snap some photos for a photog friend of mine and her family. She is expecting later this month and looks better than I ever will at that stage. I was telling her that's so easy to photograph a family like hers because they are so easy going and fun to work with. Here are just a few from that day.

Yum...Food

2010-05-19T17:27:00.000-05:00

This is a short post.

It is all about food.

I took the wonderful idea from Sonya for dinner on Monday night.

It was so yummy.

I did mine a little different because I didn't read the ingredients before I went to the store. It had fajita seasoning on the chicken, diced tomatoes, diced onion, diced jalepeno, and since I love beans I added pinto beans too! Can't wait to make it again when the hubby is home to enjoy it.

Eating
Bananas

Is
So
Much
Fun

When
You
Are
Young!

So Behind

2010-05-13T16:21:00.000-05:00

I have been so behind on blogging lately. It's not that I don't want to, it's that I feel guilty sometimes sitting here typing away or editing photos when I could be doing things that really need to be done. We are gearing up for a huge garage sale this weekend. We haven't had a real one since...well, ever. I honestly cannot believe all the stuff we have been lugging with us over the years from house to house. We had finally had enough and we are ready to get rid of it. I just hope we have a good turnout so we can actually get rid of it without having to take it somewhere ourselves. So, to say the least, a lot has been going on around here.

I have not been working quite as much because they have been slow at work, but the hubby has been working much more than usual so I guess it all evens out. He took on a new job that has much more responsibility and with that comes longer hours. I don't really like the fact that he gone all day long and sometimes I don't see him until 6pm or later when I was used to seeing him between 3-4:40.

The weather has been getting hotter and hotter here too. We got the girls a new plastic pool for them to play in and they would play in it every day if we let them. They are also begging to go to the beach more. I am going to try my best to take them more this summer too! We got some new nice cooshie chairs for outside. I am looking forward to evenings in the backyard, grilling, and watching the girls play.

As far as the pregnancy goes I am feeling pretty good. It's sad though how when it's your 4th pregnancy your belly seems to "grow" much faster. It's not necessarily a good thing. I am only about 13 weeks and feel like I look 20. Maybe I do. Anyways, I go back to the doctor in a little over a week and we get another peek at the little one. For those of you wondering, we decided to NOT find out what the sex is. I think we are going to leave that wonderful surprise for the birth!

The girls are excited about our trip we will be taking to Texas soon. They want to spend time with the grandmas, go swimming in the big pool, and see some old friends. I am looking forward to just being back in Texas, eating the yummy Texas food, seeing friends and family, and taking lots of pictures along the way. My husband has a triathlon there and he is excited about that. I will get to cheer him on while Nana watches the girls for me. Thanks in advance Nana!

Well, I better close up for now. The girls are getting restless so I need to find a way to entertain them a little more till Dadda comes home. I am going to try and update this again soon. Since I haven't really taken many photos lately I will leave some more from the beach. It is so nice there!

What we have been up to

2010-05-07T12:31:00.001-05:00

For Cinco De Mayo I decided that I wanted to eat some Mexican food for dinner. We went early and then headed out to the beach to enjoy it a little in case the oil spill affects our beaches soon. The weather was beautiful and the girls were having a blast. I decided to stay dry, I need much hotter weather before I will get in that frigid water. I did take a photo of my feet in the sand though. What a fun day it was.

Lately, McKenna has been on this fruit and veggies kick. I am not complaining one bit. She told me the other day that she was going to eat fruit and vegetables everyday until they were all gone. I will have to make sure that the supply is never ending. So, in this case, give them what they want. It's a win win for everyone. Kambry decided to be just like her big sister and get herself a plateful too!

What a stinker!

2010-05-04T08:56:00.001-05:00

Yesterday I knew the weather was supposed to be bad all day long. Rainy, windy, thunder, lightening...you know, all the yucky stay at home stuff. Because of that I decided to make a wonderful meal for the family. We haven't had it in quite some time. I made a roast, mashed potatoes, carrots, green bean casserole, corn, and of course gravy. The girls were keeping themselves pretty content playing with each other while I was busy in the kitchen. I did notice that Aislynn was being very quiet. And you know what that means...a quiet baby usually means trouble. I went on a search for her and found her in the pantry with a Cheeto in her mouth and her hand down the bag reaching for another. She had just decided to help herself. It was so funny I grabbed the camera and snapped a couple of quick pics.

And yes, she is still wearing her jammies. I told her she could have a lazy day since I knew we weren't going anywhere anyways. Well, the meal turned out wonderful, I patted myself on the back and decided that I could cook something good every now and then. It was really hard not to go back for seconds though.

Boy Oh Boy!

2010-04-30T15:20:00.000-05:00

Wow, I could hardly believe this was the same baby that I photographed last fall. He has grown so much, is laughing out loud, and still has the cutest chubby cheeks ever! It was so much fun taking his pictures the other day, he was such a big boy.

Family Fun at the Beach(or not)

2010-04-29T09:44:00.000-05:00

About a week or so ago I went out to the beach to take photos for this lovely family.

But when we got there I knew it was going to be no fun! I have taken pictures there a few times before and have never dealt with this. There were these flies, little little knats or something all over the place. They were all over us, biting, biting, biting, everywhere they could. We could hardly keep them off. The poor kids did the best they could but I was as uncomfortable as I am sure they were. We worked with what we had, tried to get some quick shots in and call it a day. Overall, it turned out okay, but I would love to try again without the flies.
Here are a few from what I got.

Hope everyone has a beachy fun time with no more blood sucking, bite itching silly flies!
P.S.- I still have the dots from the bites all over my legs. I painfully itched for almost a week, it was horrible.

I Heart Faces "Smiles"

2010-04-25T21:51:00.000-05:00

Who wouldn't love a theme about smiling? I know I sure do. Little smiles, big smiles, half smiles, sideways smiles...I love them all. Capturing them is so much fun too! I love to see genuine smiles, ones that you know are real. The picture I chose for this week is of my youngest little girl. She makes me smile just as much as I love watching her smile.

Now why don't you go over to I Heart Faces and enter too? It's so much to smile about!

Disney on Ice

2010-04-25T10:22:00.000-05:00

Friday night we all went out to see Disney on Ice. I really wanted to do something fun for the girls since we hadn't done anything big lately. Even though we had to deal with the rain while walking in and out of the arena, it was still a fun time for all. Even Aislynn started clapping and dancing by the end. I don't think the girls had a favorite act, they seemed to enjoy them all. I couldn't believe the moves they were doing, especially being on the ice. Some of you reading this may not know that my husband and I were on a country/western dance team in college. We did polka routines and jitterbug. I used to be thrown around in the air(not so much these days) and some of the moves they were doing on the ice we did on the ground. I just couldn't imagine being on skates and doing the same thing. That's talent right there. Here are a few pics of the night. If you ever get a chance to go and take your kiddos I would suggest doing it. It was a family night of fun!

Too Early for That

2010-04-24T18:28:00.000-05:00

As I lay down on the couch yesterday it hit me. That aweful feeling of something sitting in my chest burning my insides. Yes, it was heartburn and it's starting waaayy too early this time. I am just now 10 weeks and not ready for the annoyances of pregnancy to hit this early. I think with each pregnancy things have happened earlier and earlier. With McKenna, things went really well. I did have heartburn but that's all I can remember with her. I thought it was one of those things that you just had to deal with. I wasn't much for asking for medicine or taking it for that matter either. I didn't even know the doctors could give you something to make it better. I was in nursing school at the time and I was so oblivious to my own self. Finally around 36 weeks and months of waking up in the middle of the night because of the food trying to make it's way back up I decided to mention it to the doctor. She wrote me a prescription for Zantac and after just taking it for one night I could sleep through the night and get the much needed rest I had been missing all those weeks. What was I thinking not asking for anything? I know better now and I will be asking for all those neccessities at my first official appointment. My goal is to make it through this pregnancy without being too whiny. Sometimes I think we get caught up in how uncomfortable we can be and forget the whole reason of going through all these body changes. We are growing life inside us and it's a miracle every single day. I guess that's why I work in Labor and Delivery, I am still in awe at what a gift it is and how it all happens. Each and every time a baby is born is another miracle right before my eyes.

A Post for Nana

2010-04-23T11:10:00.000-05:00

I know that you keep asking to see more photos of the girls, so I figured I would dedicate a post just for you. I know it's only a few photos but I hope it will hold you over for a few days. I think the best way to see them more is to move out this way...we are ready. Just giving you something to think about at least. Also that way, you could take as many photos as you wanted...all the time. Hope you have a great weekend! Talk to you soon.

And I couldn't leave out the newest addition:

Fix It Friday #51

2010-04-23T10:33:00.000-05:00

Just thought I would do a quick fix for Fix It Friday over at I Heart Faces. I just love the colors in this photo.
Here is the original:

And here is my fix:

Have a wonderful weekend and play along too.

Double the Blessing

2010-04-21T19:06:00.002-05:00

Yesterday I had the privilege to meet these two sweet baby girls and their family. They were pretty good sleepers that's for sure and they loved snuggling one another. Even though they kept us on our toes with the little messes they kept making, it was all worth it! How can anyone resist this sister love?

It all started in week 7

2010-04-17T22:20:00.000-05:00

What's the worst thing about being pregnant during the first trimester? That's right, NAUSEA! Well, it hit me to the day of week 7. I have to admit, it's not as bad as it was with McKenna, and even Kambry for that matter. But, it's still there, and annoying, and I do what I can to get through the day. The mornings are always my worst, I have to keep eating to feel okay so I think I am already gaining and I don't really like that. My friend gave me her supply of Preggie pop drops and I really like them. I guess just having something handy always helps.

I am definitely staying busy though. With three other little ones running around the house I haven't been able to take naps like I wish I could. I am a little tired but not to the point of being exhausted or anything.

Kambry seems to be most excited about the baby. She is already telling me to eat so I can feed the baby and she puts her hand on my belly even though I tell her it's so small right now all she is touching is my belly fat. It's so cute though. She is determined that this one is a boy. I hope she's not disappointed if it's not though. We still haven't decided if we are going to find out the sex or not. Originally, we had planned for this one to be a surprise. I guess we still have a couple months to decide though. It's a tough decision because we do have three girls and sometimes it would be nice to know if we do have a boy on the way or another girl and can reuse all the stuff we already have. On the other hand though, it's one of life's great surprises. It will be a decision we will have to think on. For now, it's still up in the air.

Fix It Friday #50

2010-04-16T09:07:00.001-05:00

Once again I just had to participate in Fix It Friday over at I Heart Faces. I just love the challenge of taking a photo and turning it into something with a little post processing. Since I am still hooked on Picnik here is what I did:

Original:

Edit #1: Using curves I brightened quite a bit until I got the look I was wanting. Then I went to the touch up tab and used blemish removal and then a little airbrush on her face to smooth it all out. Finally increase contrast a bit and voila...my result.

Edit #2: Took the previous photo and using a preset curve did a faded daguerrotype on it.

I hope that you will join in on the fun too! Go to I Heart Faces now.

Day One of 9 Months

2010-04-16T06:30:00.002-05:00

What a great day it was! The sun was shining, the air was warm, and the girls were happy and playing in the yard. I knew this was the day, the day to break the news to the hubby! He came home from a long day at work and needed to get his four miles in for his training. I was originally going to surprise him when he came in the door from work but when he called to tell me he was on his way I didn't hear the phone and he arrived without me even knowing. So, I just delayed the "news". I couldn't quite figure out how I wanted to tell him but I knew I wanted to do something other than just come out and say it. So, I decided to make a shirt. I went to Wal-Mart and bought a plain shirt and an iron on transfer sheet and tried to get creative. I made a collage on the computer and then printed it on the paper and ironed it on to the shirt. I thought it would be totally obvious but I guess my man doesn't pay as close to attention to detail as I do. When he was in sight from his run I got the camera ready to catch his reaction. I ended up having to point to my shirt to get him to look at it. Here he is on tape.

And here is my collage I made so you can see what he was looking at. We are all so excited for this new arrival.

Wedding Preview

2010-04-13T16:13:00.003-05:00

So, as I mentioned before, I nervously shot my first wedding this past weekend. Even though it added a little stress to my life, it was fun, a great learning experience, and worth every minute. I am still in the process of editing but I wanted to post a few of my favs so far. Please be brutally honest with me, it's the only way I will get better. The wedding and reception were both indoors and that proved to be more difficult on me but I managed the best I could. I would love to do an outdoor wedding one day in the future.

Life Happens

2010-04-12T11:40:00.000-05:00

I have been such a bad blogger lately. Just when I think I am going to have more time to get back to the blog, I get busy again. Spring is in full bloom here and the days are just so beautiful. We have been trying to spend lots of time outside and the girls are just loving being able to run around and play and not be all bundled up.

Just yesterday we finally gave the yard it's first cut. It's amazing how much better it looks just by trimming things up a bit. We also made some homemade m&m ice cream and sat outside and ate it in the warm weather. I can't wait to have even more days like that.

Well, for all of you bloggy friends out there I have a bit of news for you. Some of you may be surprised and some of you probably knew it was coming. Our family will be welcoming it's 4th addition in early November! We are all very excited. I have some posts from the past few weeks that I will publish later on. I am trying to document my weeks as best I can. I also have a post on how I told the hubby, it's kinda funny.
In addition to being busy with being pregnant and sick off and on, I got the wonderful pleasure of shooting my first wedding on Saturday. It was such a beautiful day and I can't wait to get them edited. I hope to put up a little peek in the near future. It's just so hard to narrow them all down. I think I took around 800-900 photos. For all you wedding photographers out there, how do you do it? It was very tiring, but totally worth the experience.

Easter Time

2010-04-04T19:38:00.004-05:00

Wow, spring break just flew by and I don't know if I really did anything productive. Now, it's the last day of the break and an important day at that. It's Easter! What a great way to start Spring. The girls had a wonderful time coloring eggs, decorating cookies and enjoying time with the family and a few friends. We indulged with a ham, mashed taters, corn, green bean casserole, rolls, and stuffing. In the end I believe we were all stuffed. Aislynn cleaned her plate too! After lunch we all went outside for some egg hunting fun. I have some photos to tell the story:

Spring Break Day 1

2010-03-29T22:18:00.002-05:00

McKenna has spring break this week. My husband took the week off so we could do some family things when I didn't have to work. Today we planned to go to Mobile and see the Dinosaurs Downtown exhibit. I am so glad we chose today because it was absolutely beautiful weather. The girls had a great time exploring the Exploreum and we all learned a few things. We even had time to catch an IMAX show about Dinosaurs and everyone did so well watching the movie, even Aislynn. She just sat on my lap and stared up at the screen the whole time. When it was time to leave I practically had to drag McKenna and Kambry out, they weren't ready. I told them that we would definitely go back soon. Here are a few photos of our adventure today.

Working Again

2010-03-25T08:36:00.002-05:00

Have you missed me at all around bloggy world? Well, I have been a busy little bee. Seems like all the mommas decided to start having babies in March this year. January and February were pretty slow in our neck of the woods but watch out, March has been hopping. I normally work about two days a week. Just to show you how busy it's been, I worked five days last week and I am about to leave for my third day this week! At least I am getting some hours in even though I don't always welcome the stress of being busy all the time. I like some action, but too much can get tiring.
I have really been wanting to sit down and write another post but lately I just haven't felt like it. I did a lot of couch sitting over the last few days when I wasn't working because Aislynn was sick with a fever for four days. She had some yucky nose stuff but I also think she is getting more teeth. Her mouth is filling up so quickly.
Last Friday we got a new patio cover put on. I am so excited about it because the summer is quickly approaching and I know how much the girls like to spend all their time outside in the little itty bitty purple plastic pool we have. The problem was that we had no shade. I didn't like sitting out there in the blazing sun. Now, I can sit out under the cover, with the fan on, and watch them splish splash about. I am very excited about getting lots of use out of it this year!

We are hoping to head to Mobile, AL over the weekend and take the girls to the Dinosaur Exhibit. They are so excited to see it! I think it will lots of fun for the whole family. Let's hope the weather holds out.
I haven't picked up my camera much in the past few days either, I hope to find some time for that this weekend too! One of my co-workers just got a camera like mine for her birthday so we have plans to go shooting together. That is if we can find time when are both not working (that's hard to come by these days).

I have been trying to keep up with everyone the best I can. I know I haven't been commenting as much but I am still reading every chance I get. Maybe I can sit down again in a couple of days and post some new photos.

I Heart Faces "Angles"

2010-03-22T05:55:00.000-05:00

It has been a few weeks since I have participated in this fun photo contest they have each week at I Heart Faces. When I saw the theme for this week I knew of a few photos I really liked that I could use. It was hard to narrow it down to just one but in the end this is the one I decided to go with. The goal of this week was to have a photos with interesting angles. Since I am fairly new to photography and all I have been experimenting with lots of different angles and tried to find what looks good.

If you want to enter a photo or just browse through all the great entries this week, head on over to I Heart Faces now!

Challenges

2010-03-20T21:18:00.001-05:00

Attempting to get a photo of all three girls proves to be a challenge!

They grow up too fast...

2010-03-12T12:49:00.002-06:00

Everyone tells you to to cherish each and every moment because before you know it, it's gone. Boy are they right. I have been married almost 8 years and have a 6 year old, 4 year old, and an 18 month old. As much as I am loving my life right now I am also realizing that it is changing so quickly. My little babes are no longer so little. They are walking and talking and singing and asking questions all the time. There are no silent moments in our house. There is no running a quick errand. But that's okay, because I have a wonderful family and wonderful girls that I am so happy I have. We are all healthy, we have a roof over our heads and food on the table every night. I will deal with the struggles on not wanting to eat what's for dinner, I will deal with baths and bedtimes. I get to do these things, I get to be a mom! I am totally grateful for that. Some days I wish I could just turn back the clock, make my babies little again. I am already missing the time that has escaped me so quickly. Sometimes I am in too much of a hurry, sometimes I don't appreciate the everyday moments. Today is not one of those days. Today I am taking it one moment at a time. Today I am watching as the day moves on. Here is what I am seeing:

Innocence in my little ones eyes:

Smiles on my oldest face:

Sweetness looking up at me:

And I get to capture time here in my photos. It's a way of slowing things down, if even just for a moment.

Fix It Friday #47

2010-03-12T08:03:00.002-06:00

I would say this week's Fix It Friday was photo was quite a challenge. It is such a precious photo of this little girl watching her Grandpa play pinball. I just love the lights coming from the game at the bottom of the photo. Here is the original photo:

Here are my edits using Picnik:

It would be so much fun if you played along too! Just head over to I Heart Faces and see what you can do!

Computer Time

2010-03-10T10:50:00.000-06:00

Work has been busy the past few days to say the least. I was called to come in early on Friday, so I did. I was scheduled Sat and Sun. Then I was also called to work Monday. It was a busy four days and I didn't get much time on the computer. That's why I haven't blogged in a while. Then, yesterday was a rainy, dreary day. I just wasn't in the mood to do anything. I did a little laundry, took a little nap, and read a little book. What a lazy day it was. When I woke up this morning and saw the sun was shining instead of it raining like the forcast called for I was very happy. I know I have said it before but the weather really affects my mood. Today I am happy and smiling and getting a few more things done. This afternoon though, it's off to work. Here are a couple pics of what we have been up to today.
-Dallas sleeping upside down as usual.

-Aislynn not getting her way about something silly.

-Jake yawning cause he's bored.

Fix It Friday #46

2010-03-05T08:42:00.002-06:00

It's been a few weeks since I participated in Fix It Friday. I always enjoy doing it though. It keeps me working on my editing skills plus I get to read about how others "fix-it" too! Isn't this little boy precious? Here is the original:

And here are my fixes:

Yes, I still use Picnik for the most part even though I got Photoshop Elements 8 for Christmas. I just haven't taken the time it takes to really learn how to use photoshop. To me, it's not all that user friendly. You have to know what you are doing and that takes time. Anyways, I just love Picnik and for now I am happy still using it. One day though, I hope to master photoshop too! If you want to play along or just look at some other great fixes, head over to I Heart Faces now.

Enjoying the weather

2010-03-04T20:56:00.003-06:00

This past weekend we had some pretty nice weather. It was sunny and a little cool but perfect for us to get outside. We had nothing planned so we decided to grab the girls scooters and head over to base to take a walk along the seawall. This base use to be a seaplane base but after Ivan destroyed the hangers it is a little different. Still, it was a great place to spend some time playing as a family. Our goal lately is to try to spend as much time doing things together as we can. Here are some pictures from our day.

Here Aislynn is pointing at a dead bird head. She was facinated by it.

Climbing up all on her own. She is such a big girl.

Kristen and Matt's Engagement Session

2010-03-01T19:00:00.003-06:00

It was an absolutely beautiful day for photos. The wind was a little stronger than I would have liked but other than that, it was a great day. This sweet couple who I had so much fun shooting ended up with some great shots. We walked around downtown and found some neat places for photos. I have photographed Kristen before and she is great in front of a camera. Can't wait to do more of them in the future!
*My body of my blog is not wide enough for some of these photos. I will have to figure out how to fix that. So you will just have to imagine what it would look like. Sorry!

What's Going On

2010-02-26T16:39:00.002-06:00

So, you may wonder what's going on with us lately. Not anything all that interesting really. The girls had a pretty normal week. I just finished my Fetal Monitoring Class for work today. It was fun getting to take a couple of days to learn more about what I enjoy learning about with some great co workers. I have also been working out hard this week and trying to eat the best I can. I am super tired from getting up early everyday. Usually I only get up early a couple of days a week but I have been up by 6:20 or earlier everyday this week and it's kicking my butt. Add that up with the working out and lower number of calories and it makes for a tired Mama! Tonight I am going out to dinner with some girls from work. One of our favorite co workers is moving and today was her last day so we are all getting together one last time before she leaves. Here are a few new pics from the past week.

Playing keep away with her sister.

Please See ID

2010-02-25T20:50:00.004-06:00

I have a funny story to tell. Last Friday my husband has his "wetting down"(click on the phrase and you can read a list of other military traditions also). What that is a military promotion celebration where the military member getting promoted throws a get together for all his friends. Instead of him doing it all by himself, he went in with two other guys that got promoted around the same time to have a larger "party". We all had a great time by the way! At the end of the night the guys paid with credit cards and just split the bill. We went about the rest of our weekend not doing much but enjoying the nice weather and doing a few errands. Then Monday we took the girls to their appointments and have been making dinner at home each night thereafter. Wednesday nights are family nights at our house and so we decided that after dinner we would all take a trip to Sonic to grab a sundae for the girls. Before we left I decided to get the dishwasher ready to run for the night. At our house we do a load of dishes every night so when ran out of detergent I knew we would get behind and I really didn't want that to happen. Where I am going with this is that Wal Mart is on the way to Sonic so I convinced my hubby to run in and get a bottle. When he comes out he has this look on his face like something was wrong. I ask him what was going on and he said that his PIN wouldn't work for his debit card. We both thought that was really odd but figured that something was just wrong with it and we would call the bank and find out what was going on. When he was on the phone getting ready to type in his acct number he looked a little closer only to realize that he had one of the other guys cards that he had the party with. Apparently, on Friday night they gave him the wrong card back and since it looks exactly like his he didn't even think twice about it. At that point we had to retrace all of our steps over the past week to figure out where all we had used the card. We remembered using it at the mall at the food court in two different places and also early that day at the pet store. The funniest part about all of this is that my husband said that when he used it at the pet store they asked to see his ID. He thought it was because we were getting a military discount and they needed to see it for that but in reality the back of the other guy's card says SEE ID and they were checking it. But, I guess they didn't look good enough because they didn't even question him at all. Then he remembers that the Japanese food place in the mall also asked to see his ID and he showed it and they still let him use it. So, the moral of the story is...writing SEE ID on the back of your credit card may seem like a good way to protect your card but in reality just because they are checking the ID doesn't mean they are actually looking at it. We had some good laughs about that last night!

Do it for the Lollipop

2010-02-23T12:07:00.004-06:00

That time of year has come again. The time when the girls needed to go in for their yearly checkup at the doctor. Aislynn of course had her 18 month check up so she is getting close to starting the yearly ones.

Luckily, the girls have not been sick enough to take to the doctor over the past year so Kambry was a little nervous about it. McKenna though, she gets excited about anything. She knew that she didn't need any shots this time so that always helps the mood too. Kambry, on the other hand, I wasn't so sure she would escape without a round of shots that they need before going to school. She is going to be starting VPK (Voluntary Pre Kindergarten) in the fall.

Everyone did great with the doctor, all the girls are right on track and doing what is expected of them at their ages. I don't have all the measurements but I do have weights and %.
Aislynn 21 lbs (10%)She has been following that curve all along
Kambry 31 lbs (25%) I actually thought that she might have dropped down but she also stayed right where she had been
McKenna 45 lbs (70%) Wow, she grew some over the past year. I guess that explains all the eating she likes to do. She could eat adult meals now..the kids meals are not enough half of the time we get them.

Well, the doctor did say that Kambry needed a round of shots and though she was scared about it and not happy about it I think she was ready to do it. We went over to the Vaccination clinic and were told that they didn't have a copy of her shot record so we would have to come back with a copy. I was a little disappointed because I would have to be going back when you would think that the doctor would have all those records already. Also, we were all there and now I need to drive back another day. The best thing that came out of it was that Kambry was happy she didn't have to have needles stuck in her.
Also, what made them all behave very well and do everything they needed was they all received a lollipop at the end. Some days I think they only go to the doctor in order to get the lollipop. Hey, whatever works right?

A Story about a Song

2010-02-21T19:01:00.000-06:00

So my bloggy friend, Lyndsey from My Life Through My Lens, was doing a little fun post Friday about songs and I thought I would play along too. You are supposed to pick a song that brings back a memory and then tell the story that goes along with it. Sadly enough I actually had to think of a song. Most of the ones I hear that have a memory bring back not the best memories of relationships from the way back past. So, that being said the song I came up with is Kenny Chesney's "How Forever Feels". The memory I have of this song is from college. My friend, Jennifer, and I were taking a little road trip to Enchanted Rock and just having a great time being young and free. At the time, this song was very popular and was played on the radio quite a bit. Every time we heard it we would do a little dance in the car that we had made up for it. We would laugh so hard at each other and to this day each time I hear that song it brings me back to that summer and that car ride. Those were the days!

Taking a Walk

2010-02-17T12:49:00.002-06:00

We went to this cute little park the other day when we were searching for places for my husband to run while training for his events coming up in the spring. Of course I couldn't resist taking my camera and I am glad that I did. It was a beautiful morning full of clean air and bright sunshine. Hopefully we can find more places like this to explore in the near future!

Me being silly.

Haircut Time and Valentines

2010-02-14T09:32:00.003-06:00

Yes, today is that day of the year that you are supposed to let the ones you love know just how much you love them. To me it's kind of silly but I guess some people need that. So for all you lovebirds out there...have Many I Love Yous and Lots of Kisses and Hugs today. At least it's a good excuse for eating chocolate!

And for other news, Kambry and I got our hair cut. We both really needed it and we are both happy with the results. Here I am:

And here is Kambry:

Have a wonderful day!

Double Bridge Run

2010-02-10T15:38:00.003-06:00

Last Saturday morning we got up early, loaded the kids in the car, and went to drop off the hubs for his Double Bridge Run. It is a 15K run starting in downtown Pensacola and ending up on Pensacola Beach. Even though I know most of the country is having lots of snow and really cold temperatures, we were still cold out there in our 40 degree weather(that's cold for us Floridians). He finished the race in 1 hour and 12 minutes. The clock in the photo says 1 hour 13 minutes but that is because it goes from the time the race started, not when he crossed the starting line. We are all so proud of him. He will be doing a couple more triathlons in the spring and summer and then hoping to do an ultramarathon (50 miles) in the fall. And yes, I think he is crazy for all that running. But, as long as he is happy and enjoys doing it, we will support him all the way.

I Heart "Kisses"

2010-02-09T15:34:00.002-06:00

Who doesn't love to see sweet kisses? With Valentine's Day coming up soon, the theme at I Heart Faces this week is kisses. It can be a photo of any kind of kissing. Since I just did this photoshoot a little over a week ago, this photo was fresh in my mind. Can't you just tell how much love they have for each other? How cute! You should play along too. Go over to I Heart Faces and put in your entry. Hurry though, today's the last day!

Week in Review

2010-02-05T19:15:00.000-06:00

Well, we have already one week of February gone! I can already tell that this year is going to go by very fast. Of course we started off the week with some sick little puppies in our household, but thankfully now everyone is back to somewhat of a normal.
The new thing we are dealing with is Kambry. I don't know if it is a phase she is going through or what but lately we are really having trouble with her eating. This has somewhat been going on for the last month or so but over the last week it has escalated to the point of being very hard to deal with. She won't eat...hardly at all. She says she is hungry and I give her what she wants and she seems very excited to eat it. Then, she takes a bite, sits there with it in her mouth and then says she can't swallow it. Sometimes she can't even swallow her cereal. I really think it's just a "thing" she is going through and I actually think it may be somewhat psychological. She has not problem eating a couple of M&Ms though. I have only been able to get her to eat a waffle since Monday. That's right, one waffle. I bought some pediasure today because I thought maybe I could at least get her to drink that and get some nutrients but after two swallows she decided she didn't like the taste anymore. Has anyone else dealt with something like this? Do you have any suggestions for me? I know I can't force her to eat because then she will rebel even more. I need some advice or I feel like she is just going to whither away. She is already tiny as it is.

I didn't get to work but for 4 hours this week, so that was no fun! They haven't been all that busy at work and when we don't have a lot of patients, I don't get a lot of work. I am hoping that next week will be a little better.
My husband is planning his "promotion party" for next Friday. The girls are going to daycare for the evening so it should be a good time. He is having it along with a couple of other guys that just got promoted too or did a little while back and are ready to celebrate it. It is always nice to have a night out!
Not too much is going on around here, we are always busy as usual but each week in different ways. I haven't taken very many pics of my girls this week so I am hoping maybe this weekend I can get a few.

Quick One

2010-02-04T10:28:00.002-06:00

I am just working on editing some photos still from my photoshoot last week and made up this little collage. Isn't it cute?

Moving On Up

2010-02-01T14:10:00.002-06:00

Today was a great day for my husband, but also for the whole family! This morning, at a laid back ceremony at my husband's office, he was officially promoted from Captain to Major in the Marine Corps. Semper Fi! He has tens years in and probably looks like another ten more to go. Kambry, Aislynn, and I were in attendance and I got to pin on his new rank! He gave me a little lesson this morning on how to do it. He probably thought I would put it on backwards or something(knowing me, that's a good thing he did). I told him it would take some getting used to calling him a Major now instead of a Captain. We are so proud of him!

On another note, Aislynn is still not 100% but seems to be feeling better. Kambry has come down with whatever it is that Aislynn has. My car needs a good cleaning on the inside. She is now laying on the floor next to my bed on top of a stack of blankets and towels. I am so not looking forward to what the next few days have in store if it's moving it's way around all of us.
Plus, to make this day even better(you know, after dealing with throw up and diarrhea) one of my cats decided to pee on my computer. I am surprised it is still working!

Feeling Pookie

2010-02-01T07:57:00.002-06:00

My poor little Aislynn is not feeling well. It all started on Friday night when I awoke to her crying. When I went into her room I found her standing in her own throw up. It was all over the sheets and her. After cleaning up a bit we got her to feel better and she slept for the rest of the night. Then the next morning she had another "incident" at IHOP. Thank goodness we were still waiting outside for a table. I went to work on Saturday for a few hours and after I got home we put her to bed with no problems. About an hour later we heard her crying again, only to find her standing in her bed covered in you know what. Poor baby, she was just crying and crying. After a good bath, a change of sheets, and some snuggle time on mommy she was back asleep and slept well the rest of the night. I didn't know what Sunday had in store for us but I should have carried more diapers and wipes with me that morning. A couple of close calls in the diaper area but all was contained. When I was at work last night she had a blow out in her high chair. Last night she slept well, as far as I can tell. This morning she wants to snuggle and go back to sleep. That's when I know she is not feeling good. I sat her down in her high chair, gave her a sippy cup and some cereal on her tray and sat down at the computer to check my email while I ate a bowl of cereal myself. A few minutes later I hear Kambry telling me that Aislynn is asleep at the table. Wow, she has never done that. I scooped her up and laid her back in bed. Hopefully she will start to feel better soon. I just hate seeing my babies all sick and pookie.

Two Little Sweeties

2010-01-31T15:51:00.003-06:00

It was so much fun to get out and do a photoshoot again. I was so busy with the holidays and all I didn't do much shooting of anyone but my family. Now that I think the weather is starting to get better here in Pensacola, I am looking forward to a lot more outdoor shoots and beautiful days! Last week I met up with a family and took photos of their two beautiful children. It was fun following these two around. The little girl was so full of energy and excitement. Here is a little peek:

Fix It Friday #42

2010-01-29T08:42:00.003-06:00

Wow, I can't believe this is the 42nd Fix It Friday at I Heart Faces. All I know is that I have learned SOOO much from all the great tutorials and the wonderful people associated with I Heart Faces. I pretty much teach myself what I have learned and any tips and advice are so nice and always welcome. I did my edit with about 25% picnik (since that is still what I am comfortable using) and the other 75% with PSE. I am trying to force myself to use it more so I can feel better using it all the time. I am sure there is so much more to learn and I can't wait to keep practicing. Here is the original photo:

Here is my edit:

I would tell you what I all I did but I just played around with a few things, added a couple of textures, adjusted the brightness and contrast, and who knows what else. Next time I will try to be better about writing everything down I did. I encourage all of you to grab the photo from the I Heart Faces Flickr site and try it for yourself. It's lots of fun!

Playing Around with PSE

2010-01-27T12:23:00.002-06:00

So, since I am very new to photoshop, I thought I would try to teach myself how to use it. I have sooo much to learn and it's not an easy process at all. I have learned how to use textures thanks to I Heart Faces and I am learning how to use actions. Anything that saves time is great in my book! Here are a couple of photos from around my house that I worked with in photoshop. Now, I need to keep practicing because you know the saying, "practice makes perfect!"

I Heart Faces "Texture"

2010-01-25T13:49:00.001-06:00

I love I Heart Faces because it challenges me to learn more and do more as a photographer. The theme this week is "texture" and since I didn't know the least bit about using textures I decided to give it a go. This is honestly my first ever try at using textures. I am not even sure if I like the results. I am trying to learn how to make it look good, I know I have a lot of work to do. Anyways, I did my best for now. For this week, I decided to use a photo of my sweet Kambry Lynn. As I was working with the photo I realized that it was acutally one I edited for the I Heart Faces logo week and forgot to use it. So, here it is for textures week. Any feedback would be great.

Rainy and Wet

2010-01-24T16:08:00.002-06:00

I wish I didn't dislike the rain so much. For some reason it always puts me in a bad mood. Let's just say that I am sooo glad it didn't rain on my wedding day. That would have been tough, especially since it was outdoors. The rain started last night at our house, and is still coming down now. The skies are dark, the ground is wet, and the girls are BORED. They don't like staying indoors all day either. Do you find that the weather affects your mood? I think I have always been like that even though I wish it wasn't the case. If you give me a bright, clear, sunny day I will probably be smiling and enjoying the day. I have more energy, I feel like doing things, and I get more done. I guess it's good that I don't live in the northwest. I lived there for a year and there were so many dreary days that I have no desire to go back. I would rather get burned to death with the hot sun than be in cloudy, gloomy skies all the time. I will have to say that the rain is good for one thing: cuddling up on the couch and watching a movie and snacking on popcorn. Maybe I will go do that now...after football of course. Hope everyone is having a brighter day than I am!

On another note, here are some photos from my husband's cake and cookies.

Happy Birthday Dadda!

2010-01-21T09:36:00.000-06:00

This is the third birthday we are celebrating this month. Today is my hubby's 34th birthday! So, if you are reading this or not baby, I hope you have a wonderful day. We have been together since Aug of 1999. Wow, that's over 10 years. We have three beautiful daughters and a wonderful life. We are happy with our careers and are excited for the what the future holds. Of course we never know what that might be, especially being in the military. I am proud of you and what you have accomplished. I support you in your decisions and will continue to be your rock! Here are a few memories of the past:

And one from a few weeks ago:

I love you! Happy Birthday!

Thinking

2010-01-20T21:26:00.002-06:00

I wonder what she's thinking about.

I Heart Faces "We are family"

2010-01-18T20:38:00.003-06:00

I know this week at I Heart Faces is sure to bring some wonderful photos of families. Any and all types of families are welcome. The photo I am submitting is a very traditional family. I haven't actually done many family photo shoots and didn't really have a lot to work with but I still really love this photo. You can the the pure innocent joy on the daughters face as she looks back at her dad playing with her hand. What a sweet moment!

To see more family photos or to submit your own, go over to I Heart Faces now!

Happy 4th Birthday Kambry!

2010-01-17T14:44:00.000-06:00

Even though I couldn't believe that I have a six year old now, I really can't believe that my little Kambry is now four years old. She was born at 12:28pm on this day four years ago weighing in at 6 lbs, 13 oz.

She was the smallest of my three girls and I am pretty sure that she will continue to be my littlest. She is the most giving, caring, and loving little girl. I am so proud of her. Even though most people would believe that she could do no wrong, she actually does have a bad sad that comes out every now and then. When she was very young my husband taught her the puppy dog face. Ever since then, she has been using it to her advantage. She knows that we just can't resist it.
Her at one year old:

Two years old:

Three years old:

So, over the past year, Kambry has really learned alot. I think her big sister helps her in that department. She counts really well, can write her name almost legibly, and is getting so much better at drawing and coloring. She goes to preschool on Tues and Thurs and has really started interacting well with the other kids. I think she will really enjoy pre kindergarten in the fall.
Kambry wants to be just like her big sister. Whatever Kenna has, Kambry wants. Whatever Kenna does, Kambry does the same. Whatever Kenna says, Kambry repeats. Sometimes I can tell that it really annoys McKenna but I guess that's all part of growing up. I just hope that Kenna can continue to be a good role model.
One other trait I see in Kambry is the "little mommy" inside. She is great with helping out with Aislynn. She loves to give her hugs and kisses and tries to keep her entertained when I am busy doing something.
For her birthday we took her out to breakfast, then bowling, went and had some yummy lunch, and then home to open presents and pop balloons(something she really wanted to do). It was a great day for her.

Waking up

2010-01-15T10:38:00.001-06:00

Waking..

up...

from...

a nap...

can be so much fun!

It's just spilled milk

2010-01-13T13:28:00.003-06:00

A few days ago we were getting dinner ready and the girls were getting all washed up and ready to sit down at the table. We always get the girls plates ready and get them started first. As I was making my plate I heard the noise, the noise I hate to hear at the table. It was the sound of a cup falling over. Sure enough, Kambry had somehow managed to knock over her almost full cup of orange Hawaiian punch. It was everywhere. The chairs, the table, across the floor and splattered on everything. Well, what is mom to do but start cleaning it up. Kambry knew she was in trouble by the look on her face. After a ton of paper towel and a quick mopping session we were back at the table. (For those of you who know me well, you know how much I hate mopping the floor) I told myself that I was going to start giving them just water to drink during dinner from then on.
Well, last night, we were getting ready to all sit down once again. I never did do the water thing and I got them each a cup of milk to have with dinner. I filled McKenna's cup extra full because she always drinks hers and wants more. I set the cups down and walked away to get their plates. Then, I heard the noise. But this time it was a louder noise. It was the sound of the cup flying across the room and landing on the floor. I looked up expecting it to be Kambry's cup. NOPE! It was Kenna's overly full cup of milk that had flown across the room and Kambry was the innocent target. As I look at Kambry she has a look of confusion, and surprise, and shock all in one. As the milk is dripping off her hair and covering her face and clothes she is trying to breath without drowning in the flow of an entire cup of milk spilled on her. I quickly took her to my bathroom, got her cleaned up and in some dry clothes. When I came back to the table, Kenna was in time out. She wasn't paying attention and flung her arm around and that's how she spilled the milk. My husband and I cleaned up as best we could. I once again had to mop the floor. Did I mention how much I hate to mop? We reheated our food and sat down and had a wonderful dinner. Looking at Kambry and seeing her matted hair with dried milk in it just made me laugh. After all, it's just a little spilled milk!