Assignment Green

 The Pioneer Woman is running another photography assignment.  

The assignment is green.

 She posted the assignment yesterday and I couldn't think of anything to shoot,  but then you never know when inspiration will hit.  Today I windexed our sliding glass back doors, inside and out.  The clarity of the light streaming through the glass motivated me to get the camera out and shoot the kids. 

Then I noticed these sitting on the table. 

Crayons.

 I thought about how I could shoot the green crayons and make it some what interesting.  I started to visualize what makes green, well green.  The answer to me was yellow and blue.  So this is what I came up with.

Probably not the most original idea in the world or best photo, but I really like it.

Honestly, I wish I would have submitted this one instead, but oh well.

  Of course while I took five minutes to shoot the crayons, this was going on.

 Big baby Tedward wasn't feeling it.

 Then I decided to go with it, and got some more inspiration.  I encouraged Sonya to paint herself green.

I think she looks beautiful.

 I love how the camera has allowed me to tap into creative side I never knew I had, or knew that I needed to express. 

I love when inspiration strikes,

at a random time, and I am able to capture moments like this.

   

I think I have a few more green submissions.  

Shoot for Seamus

 Fresh Art Photography is putting on an awesome event to support St. Louis Children's Hospital NICU.  This is a great opportunity to be shot by premiere St. Louis photographers Jodie Allen and Kim Weiss.  They have photographed our family in the past and their work is incredible.  Check out their site linked above and sign up for your mini session!!    

Pardon the Mess

I am trying to change the look of my blog.

Lets see how it goes...

Dinner Debacle

Tonight I photographed dinner, but it did not work out.  Why I didn't learn from my previous post about working in a project while my kids are awake I have no idea.   I made chicken and dumplings, and forgot how much work it is to photograph the process of making dinner.

So I will show you what I have, and when things went a wry.

Here are the ingredients.  

I should have known with that many ingredients to stop with this photo.

So I chopped the veggies while Teddy was sleeping, and then put them in the fridge until I was ready to cook.

Boneless skinless chicken breasts.

It is pretty hard to make raw chicken look good...

The mirepoix.

Minced garlic.  

Yes, that is a toddler spoon.

Freeze dried shallots. 

 My latest purchase from Penzys.

One teaspoon of dried thyme, also from Penzys.

A dash of cayenne pepper.

A sprinkle of Nature's Seasons.

 Two boxes of stock.

Before the boil.

Then this happened..

Sonya Catherine decided to dump out an entire bag of oyster crackers.  I will admit it, I lost my cool with some yelling, a spanking, and had to take away her new "nighten gown."

Let me back a up a bit.  I also made cookies today, where Sonya's lack of listening was astounding, so my patience was already thin.

So this is when I realized I needed to put the camera down and just make dinner.  Luckily Josh came home early that was my saving grace because Teddy was starving and screaming and he was able to feed him.  I still needed to mix the dumplings, which turned turned out gummy, to finish making dinner.  

Here is dinner...

So today's lesson was to just be with my kids.  They needed me and I wanted to do my own thing.  I know I need my time, but they need my time too.  I am very fortunate to stay at home with them, so they need to be my priority.  I am realizing that the last couple of months have kicked my ass with  transitioning from one to two kids with two very different personalities, Sonya giving up her nap, Teddy getting sick often, my lack of sleep, and Josh's work schedule.  I know I have it good and easier than most, but I have had a hard time.  I am the type of person who doesn't realize how tough things are until they are over.  So I know, the fog is lifting with this epiphany of the ass kicking.  I am starting to refocus, get my priorities in order, and not just survive.

  I know my time is limited before they hate me and think I am a citizen of crazytown, so hopefully I can learn from my own lesson and just be with my babies and enjoy them.   

This is why I don't wear make-up anymore...

Because this is what I found around the house when I actually took the time to get dressed some what decent this morning and put some make-up on.

Looking presentable can be overrated.  

Did you hear what I said?!?

I think I said that phrase over a million times this weekend.

 Along with, 

"Do you want a spanking?'

"You need to listen to mama!"

"Do not be rough with your brother!"

"Please do not touch..."

"Please STOP!"

"Go to your room!"

"I have had it with you!"  

Sonya really has been trying the patience of the mama and dada lately.  

These are the times as a mama I feel worn out and don't want to fight the good fight.  

This is when I want to let her watch TV all day, eat whatever she wants, let her go to bed late, really just ignore her and quit.  

Like this morning when my children were up at the unacceptable time of 5am.  I popped Cinderella in, laid in bed, and then gave Sonya a leftover Krispy Kreme doughnut for breakfast.   

  

But, then I remember that she is a two and half year old little girl.  

I remember that we are in a "fight" for her life, her heart.  

A fight for her to be loving, kind, patient, obedient, creative, helpful, brave, inquisitive, safe, rested, confident, sweet, generous, loyal, hopeful, funny, imaginative, silly, honest, beautiful, faithful, healthy, respectful, smart, and so on.

    

We live in a broken, messy, fallen world that can swallow a little girl up in an instant if I give up when we are having a bad day. Don't get me wrong, I know I will still yell, watch movies, stay up too late, eat junk, and pretend like I don't hear or see her.  But I know that every hour is new, every minute is new, and every second is new.  These are all chances for me to have a new attitude, a new heart towards her so she can become all of those things listed above.       

I want her to know that I will never quit on her,

even when I have had it, 

it is my job as her mama to 

"fight"

 for her life, her heart 

everyday.   

Tired

This is what Teddy did at the park.

He slept on the ground.

For Katy

Today we had Claire over while her mama had to go to work.  Tomorrow is her first birthday.  Claire had a rocky entrance into this world.  You can read about it here, on her mom Katy's blog.  What Katy also goes onto to say is how God used this little girl to redeem to very dark time in here life.  It is amazing how God can make all things new when you think all hope is gone.

So, of course, I got out my camera to shoot Claire so her mama would know she had a good day.

First with the binkie.

"Hey lady, what gives?"  

That seems to be the face she gave me when I took here binkie away.

 This guy wanted to get in on the action.

We read some books.

        

Claire has a little skunk, Daisy, she carries with her everywhere.  

I had to make sure she was included in our shoot, and who doesn't love baby feet.

Sonya was very sweet with Claire today.  

She shared books, brought Claire her binkie, and put on an amazing costume for her.

She was a butterfly railroad condutor going on an adventure.

Claire is such a grown girl standing on her own.
She needs to give Teddy some lessons.

Claire has turquoise eyes that look like you could dive into them and swim for miles.  There will boys falling over themselves for those eyes someday.
Jeremy beware.

I couldn't decide which photo I liked better the color or the black and white version.
So I am posting both,
for Katy.

Happy Birthday Claire Elaine.  

You arrived at just the right time.