Hamburger Help-Please! and a little recognition.

Tonight is Hamburger Helper night. Luckily I was fortunate enough to find 2 things that Emily loves, Hamburgers and Cheese, all in one handy box.

I have a question for all you mom's out there: Why is it so easy to be a mom when dad's aren't home? Of course I don't mean this literally, but more mentally. This is the first time since Aaron and I have been married that he has left me for more than one day. I know....it sounds pretty pathetic but what can I say? We love eachother. And for some reason I have found it miraculously easy to get all of my house-wife duties done and take care of Emily AND do all the things that he is usually responsible for (i.e. cook [because God has blessed with with a husband that enjoys doing so], mowing the lawn, cleaning up outside, doing basic yard work, fixing some holes in the wall, painting) without him home. I did ,however, find out that I need to take a basic woodshop course. When presented with a fence with a hole in it, I found myself starring longingly at it trying to figure out what tools in Aaron's shed could possibly help me solve this problem. I eventually gave up. I also decided that either single mother's are Superwomen (and I know a few where is very plausible) or they have a really nice neighbor of the opposite sex who comes over and does the "man work".

So why has it been easier? Is it because when he's here I subconsciously rely on him to do things for me, so I don't just do them myself, but then complain when they aren't done? Is it possible that the time that we spend together or in front of the TV is somehow hindering my will to do other things? Or is that now, because he's gone, I have the mindset that it's either do it or die (literally...dinner for instance) I'm not sure what the answer is, but I do know this: I have impressed myself and shown myself what I am capable of this weekend. Maybe instead of griping at my husband to do things, I should just take matters into my own hands and do them myself, thus leading by example and showing him how much I love him by doing things for him. Maybe in return he will do the same for me. I might have actually solved something here! However I know that being humble and quiet is going to be key, but then again we all know how humility works in a marriage... and if you know me, well, being "quiet" isn't really my thing. God help me!

I'm going to put this theory to the test and see what happens. I know it's going to be difficult to change a 4 year habit, but we shall see. I'm going to leave you with a great video that a friend of a friend posted on her facebook. Goodnight all! My husband comes home tomorrow!! Pray for me and maybe (if you believe in it) toss a little luck my way too!

New things

Unfortunately I'm the type of person that gets bored with things quickly. My mom says it's something to do with high intelligence...but she's a special education teacher to a bunch of kids that have the exact same problem, so I'm not 100% on the validity of that. So in honor of my boredom I have changed my blog. In case you haven't noticed I've been fiddling with if for a while and I finally found one that I LOVE. Why? Because it has owls!! You can call me crazy but I have a sudden infatuation with owls. I have even picked out all of my bedding and car seat and stroller and what not for my next child....whenever that may be and they are covered in cute little owls.

Why the infatuation? I can't be too sure but I think it might have something to do with my 2 week dedication to reading all 7 of the Harry Potter books. If you haven't read them, I'm so sorry. They were probably one of the most entertaining series that I've ever read. Anyway, the "wizard mail" is all done with owls and most people have their own pet owl that sends mail for them. So they are all through the books.

Also, I made 2 "pages" located in the navbar: an "about me" and a "contact me" (which is still under construction) Fell free to go Check them out. I hope to add more...when my brain stops hurting.

I think I need glasses... to pour me a drink

Honestly, I think I need glasses. With all this time I've been spending laboring over the computer I haven't gone a single day in the last 3 weeks without a headache. Sounds fun doesn't it?! However I'm finally reaching an end to my laborious (?) 9-5 job. I have the finishing touches to do on a few photo's and possibly a senior annoucement but I finally see a light at the end of the tunnel.

On the flip side, I wasn't really kidding about the cocktail either. My Aaron is going to be gone for 4 days!! Count with me: 1-2-3-4!!! Now, it's perfectly fine if I leave him and go to my parents or something, but for him to leave me? at home? WHO'S GOING TO COOK US FOOD?! Well, I got that one covered. I ordered 2 large pizza's that should serve as leftovers until he gets back. . . right?

I'm kidding. Well, not about the ordering of the 2 pizza's but I'm sure I can whip up some hamburger helper or mac-n-cheese without burning the house down.

Alright I'm kidding again. No need to call CPS. I can cook just fine when I want to. There will be no deprivation of food.

This is normally about the time that Aaron gets home and I'm finding that I've fallen into habit of being able to TALK to someone at about this time of day so instead I'm having to take my frustration out on here. I have a sneaky feeling you will be seeing alot of me this weekend.

I'm surviving so far. We will see how that changes when it get's dark. I am not ashamed to admit that I am terrified of the dark and will most likely go to bed tonight with all the blinds cinched down tight, every window locked, and with every single light in the house on.

Well I must go...Emily just pooped all over the floor and smeared it across the toilet as she tried to correct her mistake. I really wasn't kidding about the cocktail. . .

APRIL MADMESS (I meant "madness" but this works too)

This last month has been insane. I guess that's what happens when you go from being only a stay at home mom to trying to start your own business and work pretty much a 9-5 job. Oh the joys.

"April Madness" as I like to call it is when everyone in Aarons family has a birthday. Brother: Matt, Sister: Kaylee, Mom: Kim, Dad: Willy (beginning of May), Grandpa: Bill, Cousin: Chris, Cousin: Caleb, and just to add to the mix my Mom's birthday is in March, my dad's birthday is in a few days and their anniversary falls somewhere in between! So, yes, it's pretty crazy and Happy Birthday to you all.

I also had Easter and my first wedding ever in the same weekend, then a week long trip down to the valley, and a bed and breakfast shoot. I've been running on empty for 3 weeks now.

So here's a recap of the last month:

Wedding: Jen and Eric

Easter:

Dying eggs

Hunting eggs

I LOVE this picture and you must look closely to see why:

The Easter Bunny took so much time to glue little monster faces on the eggs that Emily dyed the night before. In this particular picture the egg looks like it is screaming "NO" as Emily precariously holds it over the edge. Looks like humpty dumpty is going to have a great fall. . .

The Valley:

{will post pictures of the trip soon...I have yet to get some of the pictures}

Kaylee's birthday:

I also love this picture for many reasons:

1) Grandpa Bills face- "what in the world is she wearing?!"

2) I bought her the flip flop socks...yep, those are socks that you wear with your flip flops. What is the pupose you ask? None what so ever! Which leads me to...

3) This is SO Kaylee...goofy, carefree, and just happy.

I love my sister!!

This weekend is the big bakersfield birthday bash for everyone and I'm sure I will have plenty from that, but I will leave off with this:

Today would be my "grandma up the ditch banks" 77th birthday. So Happy Birthday Grandma, I know you're up there singing and dancing with your new knees and Aunt Betty.

I probably won't blog over the weekend but now that life is HOPEFULLY settling down I will be able to keep you all more posted!

Lupin's and tutu's

The central coast is BLOOMING with flowers. Everywhere you go there is a rainbow of wildflowers all over the surrounding hills. I couldn't only imagine what it looks like from above.

I have been DYING to take Emily out and do pictures with her in the wildflowers...they say the next time it will rain this much and there will be this many flowers is when Emily is 7!! CRAZY. Let's not think about her being that old, because if you double that then she will be old enough to have her licence, most likely have put a boy or two through the ringer and will be graduating high school...which all equates to my life being over! I'm going to start focusing in the present so that I don't start tearing up!

So the other day I asked my besty Jessie if she would like to go with me out to the wildflowers and take some pictures of Emily. Little did I know that Reid would end up stealing the show. He was a HAM! I smiled for every picture or at least made some sort of facial expression for me. Emily on the other hand wasn't havin' it. She didn't want to look at me and when she did she would give me a "huh?" look!. So instead I just got pictures of her prancing around in her tutu, which turned out just about as cute as I could have ever wanted!

This actually turned out to be quite the trip. It was the first time I had found this place...it is quite the hidden gem. Located right between a shopping center and a freeway you wouldn't have ever been about to tell by the pictures.

I also learned that Chris (Jessie's husband)'s favorite flowers are lupins! What a coincidence that we were smack dab in the center of a whole patch of them

Jen

I have the wonderful opportunity of taking pictures of this bride this weekend. I am so excited! Jen is a friend of one of Aaron's cousin's wife's who is also one of my best friends and fellow photography lover. Jess, left me and SLO county to move to where her husbands job was in Texas, but I get to see her this weekend since she's the maid of honor. Of course this is only one of the reasons I'm excited about this wedding!

1) It's the first time that I am doing this by myself! It's going to be a wonderful learning experience for me since I am only doing the girls, the ceremony, and family shots afterwards. It's a HUGE step for me.

2) Jen is FANTASTIC! I've taken pictures of her several times now and she is a natural at being in front of the camera (which makes my job 100X easier)

3) It is going to be a beautiful day at one of the most beautiful venues on the Central Coast!

I am very much look forward to this weekend. An Early Congrats to Jen and her hubby to be!!

Spring is in the air. . .

I apologize to everyone for my temporary hiatus!

I recently have taken on too much to handle. Between my Pathways Bible study (which is sadly almost over), my online schooling, trying to design and make my own website, the beginning of wedding season, and just trying to raise a 2 year old, I have been in it way above my head.

Now that my Pathways is almost over, and my website is done (but not running) I am hoping that I will have freed up enough time to be able to blog daily again.

I have missed so much on here in the last month. Such as an awesome trip to Yosemite and Emily being potty trained completely...

To my faithful readers: I'M BACK :) and thank you for making this something worth my time.