Studio Lighting

Having a good time in my pseudo studio!

Merry Christmas!!!

OK. So here's our Christmas card this year. 

I didn't get as many out as I'd hoped. 

Hope you all had a fantastic holiday!

Christmas has NOTHIN to do with Jesus

As I write this, I find myself dwelling in the "depths of despair" (as my bff from college used to say).  And I feel fairly certain I have landed somewhat safely, though tattered and torn a bit, on the bottom.  Which means, according to Christine, that now is the time when I may begin my climb back up.  But I think I'm just gonna chill here on the bottom of the pit for a while.  (and you have to say pit of despair just like Billy Crystal in The Princess Bride)  I'm just gonna hang out down here and figure this shit out.

See, I used to LOVE Christmas. 
But when in the HELL did it get so complicated??? When did family get so complicated??

We are fine with the blending of all three of our families (for the most part), Chuck comes here before the kids wake up...we all wake them together.  We all open together. We all eat together.  That's all good...I think...right?  (I won't get into the other family juggling that occurs on Xmas day...)


SO WHY AM I SO STRESSED???

Well two reasons and number 2 is the most important. 
1. cause i've been sick. and i'm tired. and i haven't finished shopping...yet.

2. cause christmas has got nothing to do with Jesus. 


Yep. I said it.  And ya'll know it's the truth.  Nick can give you a whole speech on stupid pagan holidays.  Hallmark crap.  But here's the thing....we are all supposed to know better.  Even if we don't go to church...we know it's SUPPOSED to be about Jesus and the love he represents, right?. Or at LEAST about FAMILY, togetherness, and sharing.

 But here's what I feel instead:

broke, tired, sad, resposible, irritated, sympathetic, responsible, disappointed, frustrated, and RESPONSIBLE.


I don't think Jesus really would really want me to feel that way about his birthday.

I told you. I'm going to wallow in this here pit of despair for one more day. And then I'm gonna do some ornament making with the kids and climb my way out.  Crawl my way back to light and love and all of those good things this holiday season is supposed to be about.

hailey doodles

52 Photos Project

Theme:

COLORS OF THE SEASON

Comments from the Fam

Here are some of the entertaining things I've heard in the last few days.....

Me   This light wasn't working yesterday. Did someone change the bulb?
*crickets*
Me   That is so weird.  It wasn't working at all for a whole day.  Now it's working.
Maddy  Oh well.  Maybe it just had a little temporary snarkle.




Stella    I'm not going to college.  I'm staying with you guys forever.
Nick      Great!   (turns to me very seriously...)
              Now Maddy is the only kid in this whole house who will ever move out.

i totally lost it when he said that.  hahaaaaa



Nick    Maddy, you need to stop throwing nasty food away in your bedroom trash can.
            Food should only be thrown away in here.  (kitchen)
Maddy   It's OK.  It was still in the little plastic baggy.
Nick       It's still nasty and will rot and mold.  Throw it away in the kitchen, NOT your trash can!!!
Maddy    Uh uh.  No it won't.  I empty my trash can.
Nick       (with humor and disgust at the same time...)  Maddy please, If Suzy went into a coma, your
               trash can would NEVER get emptied. 

funny. but a COMA honey???


Maddy    Look how tan my skin looks next to my white sliders.
Me          Yeah. That's your skin.  You always look more tan than most of us.  In our fam anyway. 
               That's cause your skin has a little flavor. 
Maddy    What do you mean flavor?
Me           You know...cinnamon spice, caramel, nutmeg or you know...somethin.  FLAVAH.
Maddy      Good Lord you are weird. 
Me            You totally know what I mean though.




After I made individual "snack plates" for dinner...
Finn    I like this whole get-up you've got here.  I think the food looks even better on these
           geometric place mats.  Thanks Mom.  This was really nice of you.
Stella   Yep. 
             And these four place mats make a whole.  Four corners make a whole.  So it's a whole.
             And I want Finn's sushi stead of my noodles.

of course she does...


Hailey   (in 4 different  texts FROM SCHOOL) 

                                I'm so tired today. 

                                Mom, I'm reallly tired.

                                I hope I can stay awake today.

                                MOM!  I'm janked up!

seriously.  how am i supposed to help from home?  and put your phone away at school!!


Maddy  Well, we know a little bit more about Southwest now.  They aren't very good.
               Their Point Guard can't dribble.  How ya gonna be a Point Guard if ya can't dribble?
               And they are seriously some sore losers.  DAAAANNNNGGGGGG!!

nuff said! that pretty much covers it i guess.

First Dance Recital

Getting ready.  

 (And looking scared enough to make me tear up.)

Following Ms. Amanda

Getting the hang of it.  (most of them anyway...hahaha)

 Celebrating....

stardom!

So cute I can't stand it.  She had a great day and was SO proud of herself when she was all done!

(poor babe's lips were so chapped she was licking her lips in most of her dance photos.  the last picture is a combo of chapped and chocolate tootsie pop.)

**Flowers curtesy of her Daddy, Dadoo and Duck** 

Window Messages

Hailey wrote this on the window of my car the other day. It's still there. I'm going to leave it for a while to remind myself why I spend half my life in the car!!

52 Photos

Since I started this 52 Photos Project late, and the seasons are all messed up, I decided to jump ahead so that I could be with the rest of the group. 

So this week's theme is...

TWINKLING LIGHTS!!!

I realized this was the current theme yesterday and HAD to make the jump on up there

 because

 I had just taken a bunch of twinkle pix. 

 Here are a couple of my favs...

2 goof balls

i love the one above because i said, "hold on. just relax. i'm only doing a test shot."

 and that's how they looked.

this one was obviously a little more posed.

stell had fun with the mirror.

and we can't forget her too...

Tallulah Gray

aka

LuLu

(these were all xmas card outtakes.  bless their little posing hearts.)