Homegrown

Knit With Love {Edited}

I can't believe that Jillian is nearly a year! in honor of Jillian and Anne's birthday I'm knitting hats for the NCIU at UCSF.

More on that later...

I'm kinda like an ADD knitter. Sometimes I have to change it up so I don't get board. I found a pattern for a knit cap and I had just enough scrap yarn to make it! Two birds with one stone! Using up yarn and changing things up a bit!

Only...

Beans didn't like it.

Ooooohhhh! Thats a very mad face!

And she couldn't get it off fast enough!

She had a change of heart!

Yeah! I love hats on babies! Yes, I do realize its boiling hot and she'll only get to wear it a handful of times, but she CAN wear it! Not like her sweater!

 

 

 

 

 

 

I Happen Upon a Wedding!

They were too cute! I couldn't resist. I didn't have my flash and I wasn't ready, but I did what I could with what I had. I was in the right place at the right time I and I got to capture the start of their new lives together! 

 

Aren't Victoria and Korey the very sweetest?

 

Excitement, love and pure joy radiated from Victoria! 

And the kiss... oh! I love wedding kisses! When she threw her arms around her husband my heart melted.

 You guys are married!!!! 

 

Koery and Victoria... I have your names written in my journal, I promise to keep you in my prayers. Being married is fun! I'm so excited for you two!

And, ummm... not to rush you on the kids... you still have lots of time, but i'm just going to put this out there....

They will be STUNNING!!!

 Congrats again you two!

Are You Telling YOUR Story?

I've been getting ready to schedule a photo shoot for my family... I think our photographer is on vacation right now, but I'm getting closer to booking the session. I really am. Its hard for me... I still feel like it just won't be complete. But, for now this is as complete as our family will be. I know our photographer will do their best at creating the best images for our family. A family, that may be missing a very important member, but is still wonderfully... WONDERFUL!!! 

Have you had professional portraits taken of your family lately? Do you look through all your photos and see YOURSELF missing? Your kids are going to want to look back on photos of their childhood and see YOU! I know I'm not in near enough pictures! I'll bet you're not either. 

Everyone loves to look back and see Mom and Dad together before kids! Before kids and GRAY HAIR! Your story starts before kids! Don't wait to get photos taken till after you have kids! Do it now!

And how romantic to have artwork of how much more you love each other after a few years of marriage...

Your babies are only newborns for a short period of time... This time is so fleeting and crazy! I promise you that the hour you carve out of one day to have someone come in and capture these moments will be SO very worth it!

I feel like my kids are growing up too fast. My family is growing and changing right before my eyes! You hear all the time, It feels like just yesterday they were little, and now...

You have a great family! And a great story! Start telling your story! Make sure you aren't just the narrator, but a main character! I'd love to help you with that...

I'm feeling sappy and generous! How about a special? Pre-paid mini sessions!

 

For a steal of a deal! $150.

 

That will get you a one hour session and 10-15 images on a disk. Now that is a great deal! 

 

A few things...

This is a limited time offer! Act now before it's too late!

You must PRE PAY for this shoot. (cash, checks and PayPal work)

The session MUST take place in Solano County.

Please only one family per session.

Only weekend and evening sessions will be booked.

You must redeem the session before Dec.31, 2011.

This session does NOT include a Keepsake Memory Box. You may however purchase one separately.

 

And to make it more fun! Share how you displayed your images on Facebook! Make sure you tag Homegrown Photography! For each 11x14 image in your display/displays we'll put your name in a drawing for a custom 11x14 storyboard! 

Photo sessions make great gifts too! 

 

Happy Birthday Janie!

Every Sunday at church Janes teachers come and find me to tell me how wonderful she is. Parents at school come and tell me how much they love her! Teacher are just waiting till she's in their class! Jane is a kind, sweet, smart and funny girl who touches the hearts of everyone she meets. 

I was looking for a newborn picture of her, but they are all on disks somewhere. I did find this gem!

I think she was about five months here.

 

 Our Jane is smack dab in the middle! Two before her... and two behind her. I think she very much likes being in the middle. 

She doesn't want to be older or younger... she likes to be right where she is. We can all learn from Jane. 

 

Janie Pooh, I love you. Your sweet smile and your silly laugh make my heart sing. I'm so excited to continue to watch you learn and grow. You say you want to be a baby nurse or a doctor, like the ones who saved Jillian and I know without a doubt you can be whatever you set your mind to. Your dreams may change, but no matter! I'll always be right here cheering you on. You, my sweet girl, have a whole cheering squad behind you! God has blessed you with a sweet sensitive heart and and inquisitive mind and I have no doubt that you will make a difference in many more lives. You have already made a huge difference in our family. We love you! Even if you do tell too many poop jokes at the dinner table! ;)

Hope you have a very happy birthday Janie Pooh!!! I think 6 is going to be a very fun year!

Looking for things to do this summer?

bay-areas-itsy-bitsy-museums from redtri.com - StumbleUpon

Sign up for Red Tricycle's E-Newsletter! I love it! This one has great info on educational activities for the whole family! I'm going to put some on my calendar right now! I may do the Boudin one without the kids!

Counting On Me: 101 Things To Do With Your Toddler

Just trying this "Blog it" thing...

Found this blog post and thought that the ideas were really kinda cute! =)

 

Counting On Me: 101 Things To Do With Your Toddler

 

Real Food!

Jillian finally got the okay to eat real food! She's growing too fast! So far she's loving avocados and bananas! And for good measure (and few more calories)... olive oil! This kid is going to have great skin and hair! 

As with each of our babies Jeramy gets to feed them solid food first. 

 

Her faces are pretty funny! She's growing up our little baby!

 

Poppa's Girl.

Look! Jillian is singing with her Poppa!

Okay... she's yawning. ;) But, I made you laugh! 

Cherish

One of my friends on Facebook had a status update that read: If you haven't had family pictures taken within the past 3 years, promise me right now that tomorrow morning, you will find someone to do it. I don't care if it's a neighbor, a portrait studio, or a tripod and a remote. Just do it. We have no guarantees in life, but at least we can have the photos to prove that we were here, we were together, and we were happy.

That hit home for me. 

I'm just putting that out there... I don't care if you don't like the way you look or whatever excuse you tell yourself. Just do it! I complained about my thighs when I was 23 and I'd KILL to have those thighs back now! Just let someone take pictures of you and your family! Now! And do it often. Please.

 

I had the most memorable photoshoot the other day. I had the honor of shooting my friend Jen and her whole family. 

 

I'm kinda at a loss for words... I look at the images I took and I know that these are images that they will cherish. Forever. 

This is a group of people who cherish each other... 

At one point in the shoot Grandpa Bill looks over at his laughing joking silly family and says to me,

I did all this?

I could see the pride in his eyes. I felt the pride overflowing in his heart... This great big group of fun-loving people are his. He knows behind their jokes and big gourgous smiles are brave hearts full of love. 

Yes, Bill... all the love you see in these images... its because of you. The smiles, the laughter, the love, the bravery... all because of you. You did all that.

 

Thank you for touching my life... down to my soul. I was the one who was given a gift that day. I'll be forever thankful.

 

Mothers Day.

Wow what can I say about Mothers Day this year? I delivered flowers to my mom in person! Had a sweet chat with my grandma! Tried 5 times to get a sweet message recorded for my MIL. And my kids were punks pretty much all day! NO kidding!

The kids made sweet cards. And as soon as Jane heard me get in the shoer she poured me a great BIG bowl of Total cereal. Of course it was the one day I treated myself to a really long shower. She was so proud she made me breakfast, she sat and watched me eat every bite of soggy Total. But, then... lets just leave it at that!

But really, when spending a day with friends and family... even a rough day is a blessing!

 

 

 

Time out pillars! Just kidding!