Raising Royalty

Trying Something New....

2010-11-13T20:17:00.000-06:00

I've realized lately that keeping up with more than one blog is QUITE the challenge. Therefore, I've decided to focus on my Reflections blog for the time being.

I'll continue to post my favorite pics from my photo sessions and now I'll include more personal posts as well.

Please come join me over there:

See you soon.....

i heart faces ~ pink

2010-10-25T21:36:00.003-05:00

This week's photo challenge at i heart faces is focusing on Breast Cancer Awareness month. With a dear friend currently at MD Anderson in Houston fighting the fight of her life, I am very aware of the countless lives that are touched by this disease.

So, here's to some pink.....

Now head on over to i heart faces for some more PINK photos!!

i heart faces ~ smirk

2010-09-20T11:52:00.007-05:00

I haven't had a chance to enter many of the i heart faces photo challenges lately. But with the theme of "smirk" this little stinker immediately came to mind.

This is Taylor. I did her newborn session back in May. And she is adorable!!! She loves to laugh and smile - but apparently not in front of the camera! HA! And here's the proof....

Now head on over to i heart faces for more fun photos!

The Longest Catch Up EVER

2010-08-29T20:25:00.003-05:00

OH. MY. WORD.

I cannot believe it's been over 6 weeks since my last post. That's ridiculous! But it really goes along the whole feel of my summer. I had a lot of great ideas - but not many of them panned out. For starters, Michael's company threw us for a whirl wind and re-assigned him to four states (rather than just North Texas and OK). That meant he spent MUCH of the summer traveling just trying to get his new territory under control. He's still traveling quite a bit, and we're hoping things will begin to slow down VERY soon!!

We've been so busy around here that I feel like my head is spinning in a million and one directions!!! The weekend before school started, Michael and I photographed a wedding. It was for a very dear family, one of whom we love very much. The father of the bride was actually our college minister and was the minister for our wedding 13 years ago. His daughter, Amy, was 8 years old when we first met Kyle and Terri and it just blows my mind that she's married now!!! Her wedding was in Fredericksburg and we were so blessed to be a part of it! It was also a great time for us professionally speaking. This was the first "official" event that Michael accompanied me as the "second" shooter. And I LOVED it!! I was so pleased with how well we work together! He is so much better at distance shots and I love the close ups. So, this could really be the beginning of something great for us. I never really anticipated in going down the wedding photography route, however, the more I shoot the more I find that I really enjoy it!! It definitely keeps me on my toes! And about 5 minutes before the ceremony begins I think I'm gonna get sick. But without warning, the ceremony starts and then I find myself in the mode.

I think I love weddings because I love

being in love and being loved in return. I know what Michael and I share and how good it feels. So, capturing love on a wedding day is pure enjoyment! It's hard work too! I still surprises me how COMPLETELY exhausted I am following the wedding. And I feel like it takes about a week to recover! And just for fun, here's a sneak peak at one of my favorite images!!

You can't see their faces in this one, but I think it really shows "Amy and Aaron". There will be other pictures to share later, but for now, I'm still trying to go through the over 2500 shots we took.

As well as being busy with business, I someone managed to get myself into a pickle. Last year apparently there was a day where I was suffering from the "I can't say no disease" and agreed to be the treasurer for our PTA this year. I know. I have NO idea what I was thinking. It's a bit more overwhelming than I expected. However, I have made some wonderful new friendships that I am very grateful for. I enjoy the job itself, but keeping up with my photography business, Michael's expenses, and another side job I have makes for a very busy Momma. I can already see that this year will have to be about discipline.

And I would like to beg each of you to pray for a special friend. Her name is Tiffany and she left today to spend the next four months at MD Anderson in Houston to fight a battle with cancer. Unfortunately, she had a mis-diagnosis two years ago. What the doctors thought was herniated disk was actually a tumor. And as you can imagine, after two years of going undected she will have a battle waging against her. HOWEVER, God is in complete control and with every part of my being I know that He is going to accomplish great and mighty things through Tiffany. Please join me in praying for her daily!!

Hope all of you are doing well. Let me hear from you and especially if I can be praying for you! Hopefully I'll get back into a regular routine of updating again, but I make no promises.

I Never Knew...

2010-07-13T23:11:00.002-05:00

Back in May I decided to get Michael an iPad for Father's Day. But I NEVER would have guessed where it would lead us....

....now two months later we own a MacBook Pro, Time Capsule, and today I caved in a bought a

I've had it for less than 24 hours and I can already say that I love it even more than I thought I would. And I can say this for apple: Their products are more costly...but completely worth it.

And I'm willing to bet that our experience isn't unusual. That's probably why apple is a Multi-Billion $ company today - they get their customers to buy one product, we see the difference, and so we continue to buy more.

I never saw this coming - but I didn't know what I was missing...

...and so far, I think it's worth every penny.

i heart faces ~ babies

2010-06-13T22:24:00.006-05:00

A couple of weeks ago I had a newborn session with baby Taylor. This is probably one of my favorite photo. With two big brothers, Taylor is certainly the new princess in the house. This family is absolutely precious and it was a great privilege to spend a morning with them.

Why I've been MIA....

2010-06-11T08:20:00.004-05:00

I cannot believe it's been two weeks since I posted last. That's ridiculous. But life is absolutely crazy! For starters, I'm getting used to this

My business recently INVESTED in a new MacBookPro. Many of the workshops/classed I've attended have stressed how necessary a Mac is in the photography business. I never understood because as far as I was concerned, I was able to do all I needed to do on my PC.

Well, for Father's Day, Michael got

..an ipad. Obviously he got it a bit early. I knew there was a hold time for ordering and wasn't sure how long it would take. When we went to the store to pick it up, I started visiting with one of the Apple Geeks. He asked if I worked and I mentioned my photography business. Within about 30 seconds I quickly learned WHY photogs need MACs. I left there in amazement. But I went home to research if I could get the Aperature program for my PC, and of course you cannot - because it's an Apple program. After much discussion, my business manager (a.k.a. husband) told me not to hesitate. It's going to be soooo worth it in the end. It will literally save me HOURS of time when it comes to editing!!!

HOWEVER, a new computer like this requires MUCH learning. I've been watching video tutorials over every aspect. I've also begun to take classes at the Apple store. I'm so impressed how Apple really goes the extra mile to train and teach their customers. You definitely have to pay a pretty penny for their products, but I'm already seeing that it's completely worth it!!! It's similar to a vacation at Disney World - it's expensive but WORTH it!!

There have been other events in our lives....

1) the end of school. WOO HOO. We've been to three different award ceremonies and we stand amazed at God's blessing. Kate came out of kindergarten VERY eager for next year. She loved every minute of school - especially the social aspect. She loves being with her "peeps" Connor had a great year as well and we can't say enough about how incredibly blessed we were with his teacher. This year, in second grade, was the first year for the kids to receive an actual number grade and we're pleased to report that he was on the honor roll. Mason also had a fabulous year - and proved so with his TAKS scores. He made a PERFECT score on the math and science portion and only missed ONE on the reading. We knew he was a smart kiddo, but to make a perfect score was really impressive.

2) Kate turned SIX on June 3rd. And we had her party last Sunday. She had a great turnout and a fabulous time with her friends. There will be pictures to post at a later time.

3) On Saturday, I went to the i heart faces photo walk in Dallas. I had a great time and got to meet some amazing women who share my passion. There are several people I've met through the blog world or through i heart faces, and to actually meet them in person was tons of fun!

This weekend we are having a family reunion of sorts here at the house with all of my mom's side of the family. So, I need to go start cooking. Hope y'all have a Fantastic Friday!!!

Hawaiian Falls

2010-05-31T01:17:00.001-05:00

Last Sunday our church had an exclusive day out at Hawaiian Falls. It’s just about 5 miles from the house, but we rarely go since we have a pool. And we had an ABSOLUTE blast!!!

Granddad and Connor LOVED riding all the slides. Connor just couldn’t get enough!

Michel and Kate

Granddad had a great time playin’ in the kiddie area!!!

WATCH OUT!!!!

And the race is on! From left to right: Kate, Michael, Connor, & Granddad

WOO HOO!! Michael and I hit the slides! Ethan just COULD NOT get enough water!!!

i heart faces ~ yellow

2010-05-23T21:13:00.001-05:00

This week i heart faces is featuring photos with the color yellow in them.

I took this at the i heart faces workshop. I don’t know when their next workshop will be, but I know they have several photo walks coming up VERY soon. I learned so much that weekend and met a GREAT group of women – many of whom I still keep in touch with via blogs, facebook, and these weekly challenges. I HIGHLY encourage you to continue to participate and get involved with the i heart faces community!!

i heart faces ~ flower

2010-05-16T22:28:00.002-05:00

This is baby Finley – she was featured in last week’s entry as well. Here she is just a few weeks old. And I LOVE that her sunflower is almost as big as she is!! Hee Hee!!

Celebrating Moms ~ i heart faces

2010-05-09T20:47:00.001-05:00

This sweet photo represents a miracle. Ashley faced MANY fertility challenges and it became very clear that she would not be able to have children. But God had other plans. He used the grace of adoption to bring this precious miracle into the arms of her mom and dad. In this picture, it is very obvious that Finley Grace is adored and loved beyond measure by her mom and dad.

I celebrate this mother today on her FIRST Mother’s day! And I would like to leave you with a poem she wrote:

Sweet Finley Grace (to the tune of Amazing Grace)

Sweet Finley Grace, how sweet the sound

That saved a woman like me

I once was barren, but now I’ve found

The gift God sent to me.

T’was God who taught our hearts to fear

To wait and just believe

‘Cuz in His plan she was so near

This gift that we received.

Through many trials with ups and downs

We learned to overcome

T’was Finley Grace, with an angel’s face

The gift that we brought home.

The Lord had promised good to me

His word my hope secures

He will, our shield and portion be

As long as life endures.

On Christmas day, to us you gave

Your One and Only Son

From our sins He came to save

This gift for everyone.

Sweet Finley Grace, how sweet the sound

You made a mother of me

My heart swells full with every pound

Of love for you baby!!

Baby Names

2010-05-07T12:01:00.001-05:00

Kelly is hosting a variety of posts dedicated to baby names. What are your children’s names and why did you choose that name specifically?

First of all, let me say that with every pregnancy my names changed.

The first born, Mason Jonle. The middle is original – obviously. It combined Michael and I’s middle names – John and Leigh. I’m always telling Michael that I wished we would have spelled it with a y on the end ~ Jonley. But he won’t let me change it now. If Mason had been a girl, she would have been Taylor. Since it was a boy, we wanted him to have the same initials as his dad – MJR.

#2 Connor Payne. We liked the name Connor – it’s very Irish. And we attended Howard Payne University. My family was also a big Payne Stewart fan! With reddish brown hair and VERY fare skin, the child looks like he came straight from Ireland!! If he had been a girl, we would have named her Merideth, and called her Beth for short. Then we would have had the M and M thing going on.

#3 Kate Alexa. I wanted her named Kate the moment I saw the Greek meaning - “pure”. Her middle name begins with an A, like her momma. And I honestly don’t remember what the boy name would have been.

#4 Ethan Parker. Michael choose the name Ethan, and to be honest I wasn’t crazy about it at first. And then when he was in the NICU, I fell in love with his name because it means, “strong” and that’s exactly what we needed him to be. And Parker – I just LOVE that name. Infact, I always wanted to use it as a first name, but Michael wasn’t crazy about it. If you’re reading this and you have a “Parker” just know that I’m a little jealous!! Hee hee. Anywho, had he been a girl, she would have been Jena.

And that wraps it all up. Hope everyone has a fantastic Friday!!

i heart faces ~ then and now

2010-05-04T19:56:00.001-05:00

Over at i heart faces this week they are looking at photos centering around “Now and Then”. I am always amazed at how quickly children change. You blink and they grow another inch. This week I’m posting some snapshots of my baby….he’s what we call the forth and FINAL!! He’s blessed our family more than we could have possibly imagined!!!

First time on a swing – over two years ago

(VERY timid and afraid)

On a swing last week

LOVIN’ IT!!

smile ~ i heart faces

2010-04-25T22:25:00.002-05:00

This little guy is absolutely precious! As of March, he’s the middle brother in a house full of boys. He’s sweet, loving, and full of mischief!!! His smile makes me want to smile back! :)

i heart faces – collage

2010-04-19T21:55:00.001-05:00

This week over at i heart faces, they are featuring a variety of collages. I like them to tell a story. And this one tells of a mother’s love….

I’m BAAAACK…Barbados #2

2010-04-18T19:20:00.002-05:00

My computer genius husband returned home last night and today he managed to clear my laptop of the virus. HE ROCKS!! So, I’ve returned to post some more pictures from our trip. The first are just a few random photos. The remainder are photos that I took on a photography tour. I had the incredible privilege of shooting one day with Ronnie Carrington. He’s extremely talented and he really “pushed me out of my box.” I can’t wait to work with him again on our next trip!

A Very Bad Day(s)

2010-04-16T08:17:00.002-05:00

My laptop is sick. It's been attacked by a virus. And my computer genius husband is out of town. This is a very bad and tragic situation. I'm praying I haven's lost all of the photos I just took in Barbados...along with all my other personal photos. This is bad. And makes for a not-so-great Thursday and Friday.

Hopefully this will all be resolved soon.

Did I mention, I HATE computer viruses?

Barbados (#1)

2010-04-13T18:53:00.001-05:00

Several of you have spoken – and I have listened. You’re wanting to know why it’s taken me so long to post pictures. Well, for starters, while I was there I simply didn’t take the time to go through ALL the photos I’d taken. And then stop long enough to post them. Then our return was….let’s say….complicated. We ended up stuck in Miami for an additional night. So today has been much more complicated than I initially thought….

Here are a few and there will certainly be more to follow…..

Twilight

2010-04-09T10:31:00.001-05:00

Recently, I was able to meet my dear friend Toi for lunch. She was in town going to a baby shower so we didn’t waste the opportunity! Some how during our conversation, she asked if I’d read the Twilight series. No. I hadn’t really had any interest. She insisted that I would need to borrow hers.

When we found out we were going to Barbados, she mailed me the entire series so I could have them to take on the trip.

But I really didn’t think I could get into the whole “vampire” love thing or whatever. I was planning to take another series I already own, but realized I was missing one. Anywho. As we were packing I grabbed the first book….just incase I needed something to read to help me fall asleep on the plane.

I was planning to catch up on my digital scrapbooking most of the flight. However, the planes were completely full and getting out my computer would take more effort than it was worth. So, the reading began…..

….and I still haven’t started not one darn scrapbook page. Toi was oh so right. The vampire “thing” really goes a bit un-noticed. I guess we’re just two hopeless romantics at heart. We’re loving the love story – forgetting its with a dang vampire.

I finished to book within a couple of days. And was mad. Mad at myself. Because I have the whole collection…..at home. And I want them NOW.

Michael is going to the dental conference during the day now. And it’s actually been raining quite a bit. And I want to read. About Bella and Edward.

So, I did the most rational thing possible. I found a book store on the island. Infact, they had used books. And, thankfully, they had New Moon. Just the one I needed. :) WOO HOO.

The reading has continued. However, knowing they don’t have the third, I need this one to last me until we get home.

Therefore, maybe by the end of the day I’ll have some scrapbook pages to show…

….after one more chapter….

i heart faces – dramatic b&w

2010-03-29T05:05:00.000-05:00

Meet Creighton (pronounced KRA-TON). In one word, he’s STRIKING!! A fourth grader who cannot play enough sports! He’s got the model look and he’s so much fun to shoot!!

For more dramatic black and white photos, head over to i heart faces!!

i heart faces – bundled up

2010-03-16T14:13:00.003-05:00

Kate was more than aggravated today. Lately, we’ve had many temps in the high 60’s/low 70’s. Not only is she ready to wear capri’s and flip flops, but she CANNOT wait to get in the pool.

Today is cold, wet, and raining. She bundled up and not exactly thrilled about it. But she’s beautiful none the less.

For some more great photos head on over to i heart faces!! There are some beautiful pictures on display!! Have a great day and stay warm!

i heart faces ~ jump

2010-03-08T10:34:00.002-06:00

This week i heart faces is featuring photos that have the theme “jump”. I wanted to have some fun with this so I choose a photo from summer time. We were having some fun in the pool and the kids were taking turns jumping off the diving board. Before I snapped this shot, Michael had thrown the beach ball toward the diving board. In the photo, Mason is jumping off the board and managing to kick the ball at the same time! Lots of fun!!

Now, jump over to i heart faces for more fun!!

Snow days and Birthdays

2010-02-28T21:55:00.001-06:00

I’m still trying to catch up. The day after Mason’s birthday we had over a foot of snow. We beat the all time record for the most snow in 24 hours. We had so much fun! The kids absolutely LOVED it!!

For Mason’s birthday this year he had an Air Soft Gun War. We had the party at my parent’s house so the boys could have the “war” on the land behind their house. The snow really added to the fun. All the kids had a great time and we’re certain we’ll have to do this again.

Happy 11th Birthday, Mason!!

You have blessed us beyond measure!

Meet Toby Mac!!!

2010-02-20T18:12:00.001-06:00

I have so much catching up to do. It’s been a bit crazy around the Rooney household this week. Michael was out of town for a majority of the week, which always makes things a bit more hectic. And on Wednesday I was asked to cover an event for a local radio station. It was a great opportunity and I was honored to be chosen. But after taking over 900 photos I’ve been super busy trying to get everything edited before Monday! I’ll try to post more about that later.

On Wednesday, February 10th Mason turned eleven years old. The following day the record-breaking snow storm hit DFW. It was also the day that Toby Mac came to town and was meeting fans at the Chick-fil-A in Mckinney. I was crazy enough to go get Mason out of school and surprise him by taking him to meet his FAVOIRTE music artist!

He was THRILLED beyond words. And I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE surprising my kids with something beyond their wildest imagination! We had so much fun together! The ride up there looked like this…

Over an hour later we arrived at the Chick-fil-A and the lines outside looked like this…

We finally made it inside and we got to see…

Toby Mac was extremely polite! He asked Mason if his mom let him skip school to come meet him. And I explained that the day before was Mason’s birthday and this was a huge “gift” to him. Turns out that Toby Mac’s son just recently turned eleven also. He spent some time talking with Mason and made a point to make his visit with him very special.

While we were in line waiting, some of the KLTY staff were explaining the process and made it quite clear that he would not be able to take the time to take individual pictures. But due to the “birthday boy” he told me to “start shooting”. (He also made a reference that judging by the camera and lens I was using I’d probably had a “little” practice taking snapshots!!)

Thank you Toby Mac for an incredible birthday gift that my son will NEVER forget!! And if you have a chance, check out his new CD. I really enjoyed some of his songs. There’s even a few with a Jamaican flare!!!

“I Wanna Dance”

2010-02-15T12:06:00.002-06:00

i heart faces is featuring photos of people dancing. I recently photographed a wedding at the Rose Chapel in Ft. Worth. This is a picture of the bride dancing with her father….gives me goose bumps!!

Head on over to i heart faces for more dancin’ photos!!

i heart faces – week 6

2010-02-08T13:15:00.002-06:00

In honor of Valentine’s Day, the theme of i heart faces this week is “Kisses”! I decided to feature Michelle and her Daddy. Michelle belongs to my cousin Krystal and she and Ethan are just a few weeks apart. She’ll be a bigger sister in a few months, so we’re really excited to welcome a boy into their family! For more kisses, visit i heart faces!

Light

2010-02-04T16:43:00.002-06:00

I photographed a wedding nearly two weeks ago and I’m still in the process of completing all the editing. Here is a picture of the church before the ceremony.It reminded me of Psalm 4:6 “…Let the light of your face shine upon us….” As if God were smiling down on His children, who were preparing to marry one another.

i heart faces – Places I Love

2010-02-01T15:47:00.001-06:00

This week i heart faces is hosting “places I love”. There are several places that Michael and I have traveled to that I really enjoyed. Some of my favorites would include:

1. Disney World – I could go to Disney every other year and still love it!

2. Atlantis, Bahamas

3. Maui

4. Keystone, Colorado

5. Royal Hideaway Resort in Play Del Carmen

But our entire family would probably vote unanimously on Barbados. Michael has extended family that still live in Barbados (aunt, uncle, cousins, and second cousins). So we try to visit there regularly and we love it more every time!

Here are a few photos from a previous trip….

They recently built a zip line over a rainforest that we went on. It was AWESOME!!

This was a small private beach located beside the house we rented. The view was breathtaking!! And the kids loved having the beach to themselves!!

i heart faces - TEXTURES

2010-01-25T17:18:00.001-06:00

i heart faces is hosting a photo challenge this week showing a picture using various textures. These two brothers were fun to capture. They live out on a ranch and while they were posing for the camera, their horse came up and joined our photo session. These two laid back country boys enjoy one another’s company and I think it shows…

Where do you shop

2010-01-22T15:00:00.001-06:00

Kelly is hosting a blog hop today about where you shop. Because my oldest three children are tall and skinny (although we love the “little fatty” just the way he is) I do a majority of their shopping at the GAP, especially for jeans. Kate and Ethan can still wear Gymboree. When I need a special outfit for Kate I normally hit one of the local boutiques, but they don’t have websites. Michael and I are addicted to the Buckle for jeans. It just doesn’t get any better than Ms. Me !!!!

However, I thought I would share with you one of my new finds! Here is Amanda (gotta love the name). Here stuff is TOO STINKIN’ CUTE!! She can make cute signs from invitations, bedspreads, decor, whatever. And she’s very reasonable. Will you stop by her blog to check her out? And go ahead and leave an encouraging comment too, please!!

Hope everyone is having a fantastic Friday. I’m preparing to shoot a wedding tomorrow so I probably won’t be back until some time next week….see ya. And happy shopping!

A Weekend to Remember

2010-01-19T21:59:00.001-06:00

My husband’s father lives in California and we haven’t seen him since our wedding day, nearly 13 years ago.

Until last Friday….he came to visit. And it was the first time for him to meet all of our children. They were thrilled to meet him!

We enjoyed some bowling on Saturday. Connor is a little stinker and had more strikes and spares that Michael and I put together. I am not joking. He and Mason and had higher scores than both of us. A bit ridiculous!!

(I apologize for the poor picture quality. I was having some technical difficulties. Luckily, after a visit to Arlington Camera yesterday, I have the problem resolved. PTL)Here’s a few more…

Do they look like father and son, or what?!?

i heart faces – Week 3

2010-01-18T07:22:00.002-06:00

This week at i heart faces we are looking at pictures of families.

Over the past few months I’ve taken quite a few family pictures, but this one really stands out to me. I love to see emotions and personalities captured in a photo….and this one shows the essence of family….

It’s Time to Tell My Story….

2010-01-14T18:35:00.001-06:00

I don’t know why I’ve put this off for so long, but today I feel urged to share. So, here goes…

During my difficult pregnancy with Ethan, I developed MAJOR problems with my heart/blood pressure. It’s something they never got under control, hence the reason for his early arrival. The doctors were certain that after the pregnancy would body would return to “normal”. They were wrong.

For two years I’ve been battling with the same health issues. The doctors still couldn’t get it under control. I was tired of going to specialists. It seemed they just wanted to write another prescription. They take forever to get into. They’re expensive and they seem to want to run EVERY test ever invented, even if it doesn’t really pertain to your systems. The N.P. with my cardiologist (I was knock off his “need to see personally list) tried to suggest that I was depressed and/or having anxiety attacks. That’s a nice way to explain why I had episodes that seemed like heart attacks in the MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT. I guess maybe I was depressed/anxious in my dreams. WHATEVER.

I started working out about 4-5 times a week over a year ago. I thought I would get healthier and loose weight. I dropped about 15 pounds, but knew I still had another 20 or so to go. The work outs helped with the blood pressure some, but not enough. I was still about 145/95. It’s been a constant battle.

Back in October after a conversation was a new friend, she suggested her doctor. He was a D.O. and helped a variety of health issues she was struggling with. He was local and covered by my insurance, and she INSISTED that he would find a way to help me. So, I figured I had nothing to loose.

After my first visit, he found a medicine that brought my blood pressure down within the normal range. I was SOOO excited! It hadn’t been that low in 2 1/2 years!!! He also helped me with a weight loss plan.

Between the month of Thanksgiving to Christmas, I lost about 25 pounds. For me, the HCG weight loss program was IT!! I dropped two sizes in my clothes, I have about triple the energy, and as of today I am no longer taking any prescriptions to regulate my blood pressure. To God be the Glory!!

And here’s what I’ve found most interesting: Yes, I was excited about loosing the weight and it’s definitely something I wanted. But what I didn’t expect were the life changes. If you’ve been a faithful reader you may need to sit down for this….I no longer drink CFA sweet tea. Nor Dr. Pepper. I like Diet Coke, and I’ve NEVER liked diet drinks in my life! A good snack to me is now apples with peanut butter! YUM! Peanut butter is actually one of my new BFF’s! Before the diet, our peanut butter would actually expire before we ate it. I’ve also found that I’m getting addicted to Sushi!!

And here’s my point in all of this…..with the new year there are many people trying to diet or loose weight. And I want to encourage you!!! KEEP GOING!! IT’S SOOO WORTH IT IN THE END!!!

I don’t know what the right diet or weight loss program is for every person. I just know what worked for me. But I do know that you have to get determined. If you don’t like what you see in the mirror (especially when your clothes are off) then DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!!! NOW!!

I forgot what it felt like to be comfortable in your own skin, and that feeling is priceless.

I CANNOT believe I’m doing this, but they say that “the proof’s in the puddin”. Here’s a picture from this summer and one from this week….

As Promised…

2010-01-12T14:42:00.001-06:00

Here are a few of the snap shots from Kate’s baptism on Sunday

It was a joyous occasion!!!

i heart faces photo challenge

2010-01-11T08:29:00.001-06:00

This week i heart faces is celebrating their birthday!! Congratulations Amy and Angie! We’re so glad the two of you have invested so much time and energy in this incredible site!! Wishing you another year of much success!! To celebrate, they are asking you to post your favorite face picture that you’ve taken in the past month or so.

This is Creighton. 11 year old boy who’s full of energy and a delight to photograph

Head over to i heart faces for more great photos!!

i heart faces

2010-01-08T20:30:00.001-06:00

We are Rejoicing with the Angels

2010-01-08T10:41:00.001-06:00

It’s been almost a month since I’ve posted. I guess I took a little blogging vacation (and Facebook, and Email…actually a COMPUTER vacation) and it was nice while it lasted. But with the start of the new year, it’s time to get back to reality. So, I’m back and it’s nice to chat with you all again.

First, we are so thrilled that our daughter, Kate, asked Jesus in her heart Wednesday night. She’ll be baptized on Sunday. And obviously, we’re thrilled!

I’m sure I’ll have more pictures to post after Sunday.

We’re slowly getting back to our daily routine. The children returned to school on Monday. We were all a little reluctant to have them return. I came down with a furious stran of strep throat over the weekend, so I wasn’t able to spend the time with them that I wanted. But, with the help of my new BFF’s (shots in the booty) I recovered quickly.

Some of you have asked to see my Christmas card, so I’ll leave with that…

Hope everyone has a Happy Friday!!

Baby Finley

2009-12-11T10:19:00.003-06:00

I just posted more pictures of Baby Finley on the Reflections blog. She is TOO cute!!! Go take a sneak peak!!

It's Friday and I'm happy! Michael and I are off to try and finish our Christmas shopping. WOOHOO!!

HELLLLOOOOOO!!!

2009-12-06T15:57:00.001-06:00

Oh my goodness. I’ve been so busy lately that I haven’t had time to stop and think about blogging. I haven’t even been on Facebook this week. This is definitely a busy time of year for photography.

I just spent a few hours updating my Reflections blog with some of my latest photo sessions. I thought my business was about to slow down, but I was a “Holiday Vendor” on Saturday morning at our elementary school and now I’ll be busy another week or so.

There are some INCREDIBLE photographers locally. They do things that really blow my mind. But most of them have the price tag to match. Soooo many people that I talked to Saturday want a good photographer that’s AFFORDABLE. Most people don’t want to spend $500, $800 or $1000 each year on pictures.

Anywho. I’ll leave you with a few photos of my oldest son. Mason was out with his friends playing in some old fashioned mud. He said he thought it was a first. He’s probably right. I’m not one for mud. But, he had a blast. And that’s really all that matters!!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

2009-11-26T10:58:00.001-06:00

Today I am especially thankful for my spouse. This year our family has been through our fair share of challenges. But through thick and thin he has been right beside me. I am blessed beyond measure through our marriage and am eternally grateful to our Creator for bringing us together over 14 years ago.

Wow! God has blessed us with four beautiful and healthy children. They fill my heart with unspeakable joy and our house with laughter (and a little chaos)! I am thankful that God has entrusted these gifts to me. It is a blessing to be called mother.

Other things I am thankful for:

-My Savior

- our extended families.

- our church home, Crossroads Christian

-photography and Reflections

-a new doctor! and our health

-great schools and incredible teachers

-friends

-freedom and those that keep it that way

-scrapbooking

What are you most thankful for this Thanksgiving?

i heart faces workshop

2009-11-19T21:13:00.003-06:00

I really don't know where to start....I came across i heart faces from Pineapple Princess some time before they announced they would offer their first workshop. I knew it would be something great to attend. I called a fellow friend who recently began a photography business and told her we should go together. She was VERY intested, but the dates of the workshop conflicted with a family birthday event.

I was hesitant to go alone. Meeting people for the first time...blah blah blah. Not knowing exactly what to expect, etc. But it was just too convenient considering it was right here in Dallas. So I was eager to sign up and didn't wait!

The Meet and Greet Thursday night was very casual and low key. It was really interesting hearing about how Angie and Amy met and began i heart faces. I was also encouraged to meet one of the photographers we would be working with D'Ann Wright. She was so sweet and easy to talk to. Like many of us, she's a wife and mother too. I loved hearing about her recent trip to Italy to photograph a wedding. WOW!! It sounded incredible!!

On Friday when we arrived at the Arboretum the "Tamron" guy was there to assist us in borrowing lenses for the day. And to be completely honest with you, I didn't expect to be impressed. I'm a Nikon girl. I've only bought Nikon lenses. They're expensive, but sometimes you get what you pay for. HOWEVER, after using a variety of lenses throughout the day, I was more than impressed. Amazed is more like it. I couldn't find ONE reason not use these myself. I couldn't resist the temptation and made a purchase before the weekend was over. My new love is the 70-200 mm 2.8 lens.

I owe much thanks to the "Tamron" guy as well as Pete Lacker. Thank you both for your patience and willingness to share such viable information!! Speaking of Pete, the time spent with him was priceless. He is brilliant, but also very down to earth. He didn't mind getting "down" to our level. Please check out his work...it is simply stunning,

As some of the others probably mentioned, we also worked with Amy Karp in regards to wedding photography. We enjoyed our afternoon. Taking pictures in a beautiful location with a beautiful bride. We even went so far as to have her get in one of the water fountains. FUN!!

Here's some of pictures from the weekend...

Thanks Amy and Angie for a wonderful workshop!!! I'm looking forward to the next one....maybe in Amish country??? :)

Autumn Beauty

2009-11-17T18:13:00.002-06:00

i heart faces photo theme this week is Autumn Beauty.

This was taken at the workshop this week.

We learned tons and had a GREAT time!!

I love all the fall colors the kids are wearing in this picture.

I love the fact that they're eating suckers that weigh as much as they do!

And I especially love the little guy on the end who is taking a lick from a sucker that is not his.

TOO CUTE!!

I've Fallen and I Can't Get Up....

2009-11-17T16:04:00.003-06:00

Actually, I've fallen BEHIND and I can't seem to get caught up.

I cannot believe it's been a week since I posted last.

YIKES!!

I attended the i heart faces workshop this past weekend.

We had a super crazy great time.

And I learned so much my head is still spinning!!

The three photographers that we studied under were simply incredible!!

D'Ann Wright, Amy Karp, and Pete Lacker.

They were UH-MA-ZING!!!

I'll post some pictures from the weekend later.

And now that I'm back home there's lots of catch up going on.

Kate had a TERRIBLE asthma attack on Friday which landed us in the ER

most of the evening. She's still recovering, but returned to school.

We saw our pediatrician yesterday and she is sending us to a pulmanologist.

And I'm swamped with pictures that still need to be edited.

There just aren't enough hours in the day.

For now, I'll leave you with one of my favorite images from the weekend...

This beautiful red head is the daughter of Brooke, one of the girls I met at the workshop.

Her name is Temperance.

And she is simply adorable!!

The Walley Family

2009-11-10T16:34:00.004-06:00

I took pictures of this family last week.

And this little boy has some killer eyes!!

There's more pics on the Reflections blog.

I CAN'T WAIT...

2009-11-07T20:43:00.001-06:00

In five days I'll be headed to....

...and I can't WAIT!!!

The Ladwig Family

2009-11-05T15:32:00.002-06:00

These are just a few of the pictures I took of this sweet family

I had a hard time deciding what to post.

There are many more on the Reflections blog.

The Martinez Family

2009-11-03T13:09:00.004-06:00

I spent some time with my dear friend, Colette, and her sweet family on Saturday.

Here are just a few of my favs...there's more at Reflections.

I'd love to know which one is your favorite...

YIKES!! I'm Falling Behind and Can't Catch Up!!

2009-11-01T14:34:00.003-06:00

It's a crazy time of year to be a photographer!!

But, I'm loving every minute of it...

...well except all of the editing.

THAT's what becomes overwhelming.

I've got a crazy week ahead of me.

Four sessions this week...so it might be a while before I post again.

SO.....before I get even more behind with posts,

here are some picutres from Ethan's birthday party a few weeks ago.

We had a little party for him in Houston.

Complete with a bounce house and tons of kids.

And I have one MAJOR confession...

I didn't make his cake.

Yes, you read correctly.

My SIL ordered a cake for us, since we were coming in from out of town.

Oh well, enjoy the pics...

I tried to get a picture of the kids in the bounce house.

Ethan did not enjoy.

The Waddell Family

2009-10-27T19:02:00.002-05:00

This weekend I had the priviledge of taking pictures for the Waddell family. Mrs. Waddell's was Connor's first grade teacher. He absolutley LOVES her and she's become very special to our family. So, this was a huge honor for me.

Here's a little peak, there's more on the Reflections blog.

It's that Time of Year

2009-10-23T15:48:00.003-05:00

As we near the end of October, the realization sets in that the Christmas Season is a little more than a month away. With a photography business, that means that life is very busy. I have photo sessions every weekend between now and Thanksgiving. So, during the week I'm spending much of my time photo editing and creating Christmas cards.

This past Sunday I spent some time with Kate's teacher and her family.

There's more of their pictures on the
Reflections blog,

but I had to share this one.

Meet Sam. He's so cute. And you can tell by his eyes he's

full of mischief. Adorable!!

And a little brotherly love...

The Lord Giveth and the Lord Taketh Away

2009-10-20T19:43:00.004-05:00

On Thursday I received a phone call after taking the kids to school that my grandfather wasn't doing very well. He was put in the hospital the week before with some infections, but appeared to be doing much better. For some reason, in the early morning hours on Thursday he started having some difficulty breathing. The hospital called the family. It was suggested that we come to Shreveport if we wanted to ensure seeing him one last time. Michael was out of state when I got the call. But, after talking with Mason (and Grabbie) the decision was made to pack up and head out. However, the Lord saw fit to call him home before we were even able to leave town. And unfortunately, my mother was in California for annual meetings. She wasn't able to make it either.

I truly believe my God knew that none of us, especially my mom, could handle seeing him so fraile and sick. We know that he is now resting in the arms of Jesus.

Michael returned home Thursday evening and we left the following morning to join our family in Shreveport. The funeral was held Saturday. And oh my goodness!!! I was overwhelmed at the sheer number of people who came to pay their respects and to love on my grandmother. Infact, after leaving the funeral home Friday night following the viewing, she said, "Wow, I think we were loved by a lot of people." Never underestimate what your presence can do for those hurting. It was a huge ministry to my family to see the number of people who loved David Green, especially those who shared stories of how he touched their lives.

He was a man of God who loved and cared for his family. He and my grandmother were married for 62 years. Poppy, as we called him, lived 14 years with Alzeheimers. Only the last four were spent in a nursing home. And even during his last days, he still remembered her as "the one I love."

I remember on my wedding day, he told Michael that he prayed we would have the same fulfilled marriage that he and my grandmother did. That we would be as happy together as they were. And God answers the prayers of a righteous man.

His service on Saturday was beautiful. It honored Jesus and it celebrated the life of David Green. It also celebrated the life he spent with his love and the lives of his four daughters and their families. My grandmother, aka MeMe, was a ROCK. She stood by him at the end of the service and hugged the neck of every single person that came. She smiled because she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that as of Thursday morning he was completely healed.

If you think of her this week, please continue to pray for her peace and comfort, as well as their daughters.

The Lord giveth, and Lord taketh away, but the Name of the Lord Shall be Praised!!!

PINK

2009-10-19T20:53:00.003-05:00

i heart faces is hosting "Pink Week" in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month.

Here's another picture of Finley Grace.

For those of you who asked to hear more about her adoption story, there's more coming.

Her mom is in the process of getting a blog started to tell her story.

When it's up and running, I'll be sure to give you the link.

Until then, enjoy this picture of her sweet babe...

GIVEAWAY!!

2009-10-13T14:40:00.005-05:00

Yesterday was Ethan's birthday and I have some great birthday pics to post...later.

For now, I gotta tell you about a great giveaway going on.

Angie is giving away a new Fuji Instax Instant Camera.

Y'all know I love Angie and I love this giveaway! So, go check her out and enter!!

And for those of you who stopped by yesterday and would like to see more pictures of Baby Finley, hop over to my photo blog.... http://reflectionsbyamandarooney.blogspot.com/

Excited!!!

2009-10-12T22:37:00.004-05:00

I heart faces is hosting photos that show EXCITEMENT this week!!

I had the privilege of photographing a newborn last week.

Infact, this is a beautiful adoption story ordained by the grace of God Almighty.

This is one EXCITED new Momma!!

FOTO FIND FRIDAY

2009-10-09T09:08:00.003-05:00

Wow!! It's been a crazy week at the Rooney household (hence the reason I haven't posted since Monday...sorry) We've all been trying to recoup since last week. It was one of those weeks that I just don't care to repeat EVER. Tuesday night we had a scary incident at the house where I had to call police, etc. (oh, and yes, Michael was out of town). After everything that took place, I didn't feel comfortable staying here at the house by myself with the kiddos, so we packed up and headed to Mom and Dad's for the evening. On Wednesday night, Kate woke up in the middle of the night with her first "middle of the night" asthma attack, accompanied with a crazy high fever. The next day at the doctor's office, they confirmed she had the whole H1N1 flu. Seriously. Oh yes, Michael was still out of town. I thought I was gonna pull out every hair on my head. THEN, I ended up pulling the muscles in my shoulders/neck and started having bad muscle spasms. So, during the entire week I was going on 3-4 hours of sleep every night. Those of you who know me well can attest that this is reciepe for disaster!! On Saturday, my adoring father offered me a massage at his business, Massage Heights. PTL!!! I felt much better afterwards, but that feeling was very short lived. By that evening I couldn't hardly move. Thank goodness Michael was back in town. He's been Mr. Mom this week. I was ready to proclaim massages one of the world's worst evils. But, friends assured me (on fb) that it would improve in a few days.

And they were correct. The massage really helped. But so did the muscle relaxers I finally got!!! I've been very slow to bounce back from all of this, which is VERY frustrating. Doesn't my body know I'm a mom of the go with four children and a husband that travels? (Apparently, yes it does.) On Monday, Kate returned to school. And somehow, by the grace of the Almighty,

no one else in our house came down with the dreaded disease. I'm still stunned at that one, especially since Ethan was caught drinking from Kate's cup. My mom and sister have decided to have a garage sale on Saturday, so I've been getting things together for that. And yesterday, I went on my first "official" newborn photo shoot. TOO MUCH FUN!! Can't wait to share some of those images. However, when I do so, they'll probably be on my new REFLECTIONS blog. Initially I thought I would keep things VERY simple, I'm learning very quickly that NOTHING in the business world is very simple. You're either in or out.

And, it's been HIGHLY suggested to me on multiple occasions to keep the photography site separate from the personal site. So, we now have reflectionsbyamandarooney.blogspot.com

There are a few of the wedding pics that I recently took up there right now. But these newborn pics will be up sometime this weekend!

Until then, Angie is hosting FOTO FIND FRIDAY today.

She's pushing us a little today. We had to find something round.

Given the time of year, I thought this would be fun.

Not the best photography skills, but a cute pic none the less.

Don't we all wish we could be this cute!!??

Have a Happy Friday!!

Things I Love

2009-10-05T21:58:00.002-05:00

I heart faces

is hosting the "My Favorite Things"

so here are just a few

of my favs:

I adore my children. And this is taken at one of our favorite vacations spots: BARBADOS!

And I love this MAN!!

I cannot say enough about how incredibly blessed I am to be his wife!

Him and my Daddy are my two favorite men on earth.

Crossroads Christian Church - our home away from home

We love Jesus and we love our church family.

One of my new favorite restaurants - Savistano's.

Unfortunately, it's located in Oklahoma!

Roses are one of my favorite flowers.

I enjoy baking/decorating cakes.

Other things I enjoy:

Scrapbookin'

Shooting at the gun range

cool rainy days spent at home

the scent of my favorite candle

the sound of my children's laughter

a great "who-done-it" movie

the feeling of capturing the "perfect" moment with my camera

a good night sleep...

Wedding Pictures...FINALLY

2009-10-04T19:11:00.002-05:00

As mentioned, I photographed a wedding last weekend.

The wedding was held outside

in the late evening.

It was absolutely beautiful.

The Bride

The Bride with her two daughters

Father of the Bride

This little cutie was the ring bearer. Precious!!!

This picture was taken during the ceremony.

I love "catching" them having a great time!!

As I said, the wedding was outside.

They had sooo many lights for decorations

and it really gave the place a "glow"

FOTO FIND FRIDAY

2009-10-02T11:02:00.003-05:00

Angie is hosting Foto Find Friday today.

And today she is

focusing on "Before and After"

Angie, this made me realize another reason

why I LOVE your style.

I hardly EVER ( no NEVAH) use textures

with people. Just can't do it.

So, for today I choose a picture of a Coca Cola

sign I took for my sister.

We were out of town eating at a restaurant

and they had this huge Coke sign.

I thought my sis would love it,

but it actually turned out kinda blah.

The textures gave it the "old" feel I was looking for.

BEFORE

AFTER

Hope everyone has a great Friday!

I'll be trying to finish the editing from all the photos

I took at the wedding last weekend!!

OCTOBER 1ST

2009-10-01T15:58:00.002-05:00

Incase y'all didn't know,it is officially

October 1st.

Oh, fall...how I have missed you

and so glad you've chosen to return!!

And Lord, I would

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE

some uncharacteristic (for TX) beautiful

fall colors this year!

Two things that clearly show the

Lord's beauty....

newborn babies and FALL!!

Hope you're having a blessed day.

Unfortunately, our household has the first

(and hopefully only)

victim of the FLU. YUCK. DOUBLE YUCK.

Mary Beth

2009-09-29T12:12:00.002-05:00

As I mentioned yesterday,

I squeezed in a little senior portrait session

before the wedding.

This is MaryBeth.

She is the bride's daughter.

And we had some super fun running

around Oklahoma City taking these.

And Angie would be so proud

of me because we

were practically "kicked" out of one place

in particular!!

Oh well...we still got the shots we wanted!!

Blue

2009-09-28T09:04:00.002-05:00

The photo challenge this week is "blue".

I instantly thought about this picture I took of

my Dad this summer when we were at the Cliffs.

The water was PERFECT!

And he was having a crazy good time!!

We were out of town this weekend in Oklahoma.

I photographed a wedding and did a mini senior session

while we were there.

I have tons of pics to post hopefully in the next day or two.

Hope each of you has a great Monday!!

Family Photo Session

2009-09-23T10:25:00.005-05:00

Amidst a crazy weekend,

I managed to squeeze in a quick

family photo shoot.

Here are just a few

pics of one of the

cutest little red heads, EVER!!

Tomorrow I'll post the pics of the whole family!!

"Completely Candid"

2009-09-21T22:28:00.002-05:00

The photo theme for this week on

i heart faces

is "completely candid".

I just took this picture this

weekend. Kate said something silly

and Connor didn't think it was as funny as she did.

And that made her laugh all the more...

i heart faces...."contemplative"

2009-09-14T23:30:00.003-05:00

i heart faces is hosting another photo contest.

This week's theme is "contemplative"

This little boy is FULL of energy and mischeif.

And he wasn't sure he wanted me taking his pictures.

He was playing with little "girl" toys when I started shooting,

and he wasn't sure if he should continue or not.

His eyes are very captivating to me.

FOTO FIND FRIDAY

2009-09-11T13:49:00.003-05:00

Angie has resumed "Foto Find Friday" today.

The theme this week is hats.

(Have I mentioned lately how much I just love this girl?

And her photography art is second to none.

Go see for yourself!!)

I don't have many pictures with hats, so there was little to choose from.

But, I found this picture of Kate from quite a while back

and she was playing dress up

in Granda's hat and my sunglasses.

Then, don't you know, she had to try it all out on Daddy.

No, he doesn't know this is on here.

And Yes, he will so want to kill me if/when he sees it!!

And here's a picture of Mason wearing a hat

he made out of some snappy toy things.

(Clearly, I don't know the appropriate name).

Oh well, lucky for me it's Friday!!

Hope you all have a great weekend with your families!

And don't forget to visit my sister, Ashley, also known as Grabbie

for a chance to win a free blog facelift!

She's having her first Giveaway at

Great Grabbie Designs!!

9/11

2009-09-11T08:27:00.002-05:00

Wow! I cannot believe it's been eight years since

the attacks on America.

I remember the day very, very clearly.

I was pregnant with our second son

and a baby shower had been planned for that evening.

Michael had gone to work.

And I had taken Mason up to preschool.

We both heard the news on the radio.

After dropping Mason off, I went up to the High School

were I taught the previous year.

I'd promised the ladies in the office that

I would stop by to see everyone.

When I got there they had a small tv on.

...and that's when I SAW it.

The words they used on the radio could

not describe the horror.

Michael called and wanted me to meet him

at our house.

I went ...quickly. I remember praying.

For the victims. The families. Firemen. Policemen.

The President. Our safety.

That's the first time I can ever remember

weeping over the state of our nation.

The state of the world.

Satan is real. Evil is real.

But God is bigger.

And He has already won the battle.

But, just because we believe in Him, we are not sheltered

from pain and heartache.

But we do have someone to turn to.

When you cannot trust the future,

trust the ONE who holds the future in His hands.

Blog Makeover, Anyone?

2009-09-10T20:38:00.002-05:00

For those of you in need of a blog facelift...please go visit my sister, Ashley (a.k.a Grabbie) from Great Grabbie Designs. She is hosting her first giveaway...a new Custom Blog Design.

To enter, all you need to do is leave a comment on the

"Giveaway" post. Good luck!!

Today Ethan had his first day of Pre School!!

Ladies, that means that this momma of FOUR was

without child/children for FIVE hours.

Give Him Praise!!

I went and spent some quality time

with a girl friend of mine

that I haven't seen in quite a while.

She's going through a divorce,

so please pray for her sweet family.

We throughly enjoyed a 2 hour long pedicure!!

We were the only two there for most

of it...so it was quite enjoyable!!

Tomorrow is Friday and I'm so thankful.

It's hard to believe that this was a "short" week.

This is the third week for the kids to be in school

and I think the "newness" is wearing off.

Everyone is still doing great.

It's just hard to make sure everyone gets enough rest.

I had all four of them in the bed by 7:45 tonight

and I'm certain I will have trouble

waking them in the morning.

Last night was our first Wednesday night service since

starting back to school.

I LOVE Wednesday nights at Crossroads!!

And I do everything I can to be there each week.

But getting the kids used to being up late on Wednesday

nights is always a HUGE challenge.

So, we're all a little (or lot) cranky and tired tonight.

Praise Jesus, tomorrow is Friday!!

Back to School

2009-09-08T16:37:00.002-05:00

Although we're on our 3rd week back at school,

i heart faces

is hosting "Back to School" photos this week.

Believe it or not, Kate was NOT instructed
to pose. This is truly her

"natural" state! HA!!

IZZY

2009-09-05T22:30:00.002-05:00

My cousin, Amy, brought her daughter Izzy for a visit today.

She is so precious

and couldn't wait to get out my camera...

MEET ADDISON

2009-09-04T10:37:00.001-05:00

I had a photo shoot last night

and had such a great time takng pictures

of this spunky little red head!

IT'S OFFICIAL (finally!!)

2009-09-01T14:22:00.004-05:00

I've had several comments and emails questioning my "BIG" project

that I've been working on.

And I'm so thrilled, scared, intimidated, anxious

apprehensive, jettery and excited to announce

that Michael has been working on

a website for me.

We've decided to start a small part time photography business.

Everything will be on-site and

subjects can range from infants to large families.

Currently, there are four categories in the gallery

and later this month I'll add two more,

one for expectant moms and another for families.

If you take a look, please leave any suggestions/thoughts in the comments here.

THANKS!!

www dot reflections by amanda rooney dot com

(http://www.reflectionsbyamandarooney.com/)

ANOTHER CLASS...

2009-08-31T20:38:00.003-05:00

I took another online class today and learned how to do some cool effects with photos.

Here's a picture of my dad tubbing.

Ethan and Eggs

2009-08-31T09:07:00.003-05:00

When Ethan was around 12 months, we noticed VERY quickly that he had an allergic reaction to eggs. None of my other children have ANY food allergies, so this was quite a surprise, but it was also very alarming. If he ate eggs, his skin around his lips would quickly turn red & splotchy and then it would spread to the rest of his face. He would have to give him Benedryl to get it under control. (And yes, I know...they don't recommend giving babies Benedryl...but when they're having an allergic reaction, it's okay to give them a VERY small dose. And yes, this has been varified by the pediatrician.)

Since then, we've seen other reactions just depending on what and where we are.

This summer while we were at the baseball field, he was walking

in some freshly cut grass and started having a reaction, same red color

and it got really hot to touch.

Well, after meeting Kelly and Harper in June, I learned that babies can

be tested for allergies through a blood test.

We recently had a doctor appointment to take his blood for the test.

It only took a few days to get the results. And they really surprised us!

Eggs were NOT listed.

But cat hair, fish, shell fish, and white oak were listed.

I just didn't understand why eggs didn't come up.

That's the one thing we were CERTAIN he was allergic to.

Well, what do we know???

The pediatrician suggested that maybe has was allergic to it when

he was younger, but maybe he had grown out of it already.

So, this morning I made eggs for Mason and Kate and decided to

give 'em a try with Ethan.

Not only did he LOVE 'em, but he DID NOT have a reaction.

ABSOLUTELY CRAZY.

So, I'm curious if any of you have children with food related allergies?

Foto Find Friday

2009-08-28T08:57:00.002-05:00

Angie Seeman is hoting "Foto Find Friday" again and the theme for this week..."EYES".
Eyes are one of my favorite things to capture in a photo.

So picking out one of my favorites

isn't very easy.

Since Connor doesn't care to see the lens of the camera very often,

I thought I should post a recent picture

of him.

He isn't smiling ear to ear, but I think this captures Connor

and who he is...mr. deep thinker!!

For those of you that have asked about my new "BIG" project,

it's coming soon.

Hint...you'll see this photo again!! :)

Have a great Friday!! We're having movie night at the Rooney house!

Complete with popcorn and chocolate chip cookies!!

Made my Day!!

2009-08-26T23:06:00.003-05:00

These were delivered to my house today....

It's not my birthday....

...nor my annviversary....

Just a man that wanted to say "He loves me..."

Cool, huh?

I have absolutely no idea why God chose me,

out of every woman of earth,

to be Michael's bride.

But I do know that I am one of the most blessed women on the planet.

Oh - and the absolute best part of the whole thing...

When Kate came home from school she said, "Wow Mommy! I love all those beautiful

rosies. Bet you got those from daddy, huh?" " 'Cause he loves you...right!"

"Umm...Mommy....since daddy loves me too.....can we share...

...the pink ones?"

"Then one day when I get rosies I'll share with you....okay...?"

ABSOLUTELY.

Thank you, Michael....

...you made my day...

...and Kate's too!! :)

The First Day

2009-08-25T13:41:00.003-05:00

Yesterday was the first day of school for Mansfield.

Mason is now in the fifth grade and that means that he now attends

the Intermediate School.

He changes classes/teachers. There is also an A/B day schedule.

On B days he will go to PE and now they have to "suit out".

Connor is in the second grade.

Mrs. Whittaker is his new teacher and she is the sweetest thing!!

A soft, sweet voice and she's crazy organized and structured (woo hoo!)

And Kate is now in Kindergarten.

The beginning of the end.

And her teacher, Mrs. Diaz is a bit crazy like her momma!

They are going to have just too much fun!!

No wonder she doesn't want to leave and can't wait to return!!

I'm super excited about our teachers this year!!

I truly believe that they can "make it" or "break it"...

so, Thank You, Jesus for blessing us again this year with such AWESOME teachers!!

Students must be at school by 8:00. Kate and Connor can arrive beginning

at 7:45 and Mason at 7:30.

I woke up at 6:15 and got myself ready. Then started making

breakfast (pancakes and eggs by request) while

Michael got everyone up and running.

Somehow, we still managed to have to rush a little in the end.

So the pictures aren't up to my par,

but they're pictures none the less.

We always enjoy going out to eat on the first day so we can

just enjoy dinner and hear about

everyone's first day.

This year, Granda and Granddaddy joined us.

I'm so glad that we beleive that you shouldn't load up on sugar before bed time. :)
Oh well - they were happy to go to school again today...

'Twas the Night Before School Starts...

2009-08-23T18:13:00.004-05:00

First of all, I got a surprise in the mail that just made my day...

Kelly sent me a card with a CFA gift card with instructions to go get a sweet tea.

Now folks, it just doesn't get much "sweeter" than that!!

God bless you, Kelly!!

Yesterday I had the privilege of taking pictures of this little guy...

His name is Cash and he's cute as a button!!

Today after church we took the kids to Six Flags for a little

fun before they head back to school tomorrow.

I was forced to ride a few too many

coasters and now I'm getting a headache!!

But before the children head to bed I'll be giving out fresh hair cuts.

Everyone has already picked out their clothes for the "Big" day.

And I had my "emotional moment" last night

so we should all be ready for tomorrow.

And don't worry...I'm sure I'll have plenty of free time to post pictures!!

Polka Dots and Swirls

2009-08-22T23:17:00.003-05:00

The past few days I've been working on a cake for a baby shower.

A friend of mine was hosting a shower for her SIL

who will have a baby, via adoption, in September!!

The colors were hot pink and lime green..

themed with polka dots...

and a few swirls..

And the best part...my friend called me earlier this evening

to tell me how great the shower went and how much everyone enjoyed their cake.

I thought it was so sweet that she called to tell me so...

made my day.

After delivering the cake, Michael and I started working

on our next BIG project...

and as soon as we're finished...you'll be the first to know!! :)

Foto Find Friday

2009-08-21T09:37:00.002-05:00

It's Friday. And cannot believe that it's the last Friday before school starts.

The last official day of summer :(

Angie is hosting Foto Find Friday again and today we are posting

images of color.

And after looking through the pictures I've taken this summer,

I have a variety to post.

Summer wouldn't be summer without the pool pictures...

We went to a Rangers game with our church. Over 2500 people

from our church wore these red Crossroads shirts.

It was amazing to see soooo many red shirts everywhere!!

And here's a picture of the field.

This is one of the pictures of The Cliffs

I think I posted these pictures back in July,

but when we were in Tulsa

we went to Savastano's for pizza.

ABSOLUTELY the BEST pizza EVER.

More Photography Assignments

2009-08-20T16:09:00.003-05:00

Earlier this week I was taking tons of pictures of my kids because I had two assignments due in my photography class.

The picture of Kate had to be taken inside without a flash.

And the picture of Mason was all about composition.

After posting for the class, I wanted

to try out some

Photoshop Techniques.

However, there really wasn't many changes that needed to be made.

The coloring was quite well on its own.

So, their variations were strickly b & w and then sepia.

And although Kate can wear me out to no end sometimes,

this picture is proof that she is stunningly beautiful.

It's crazy to think that she is only FIVE.

And Mason was my model for outside.

He did a great job too. Good lookin' kiddo!!

Now it's time to vote, which techniques are your fav for each kidoo...color, b&w, or sepia?

FYI and Photoshop Makeovers

2009-08-19T00:30:00.004-05:00

I thought I would let everyone know that the Design Girl

is having some great give aways this month.

There's some really great stuff,

so go check it out!!

We spent all day yesterday exchanging clothes, shopping for school supplies,

shopping for school supplies, and shopping for school supplies.

Does anyone else feel my pain?

We also had to pick up Mason's schedule.

Wow! Crazy to think he's no longer going to be at

elementary school.

I spent most of the day in my pjs going through a photo editing class.

It was really incredible to learn what all you can do

with Photoshop!! I had sooo much fun!!

This evening we had Mason's last game of the summer baseball season

and I had great fun taking pics of an adorable

little boy named Maddox.

He was absolutely precious!!

And I couldn't wait to get home and try out my new skills.

So, here ya go...

BEFORE

AFTER

BEFORE

AFTER

B & W

SEPIA

BEFORE

AFTER

And Ethan wanted his picture taken too, so here' is his BEFORE

AND AFTER.

FIVE Going on FIFTEEN

2009-08-17T23:29:00.002-05:00

Believe it or not, Kate will start Kindergarten in just short of a week. And I'm still trying to wrap my brain around the idea.

On Sunday I took her shopping for some new clothes.

We went to Justice...but that's definately not the place for us.

To say that I wasn't impressed is an understatement.

Which was surprising, because some of their summer and spring lines

were too cute.

So, we ended up at the mall.

Gap was completely EMPTY of all summertime clothes.

Seriously, I don't think they had five short sleeve shirts in the entire store.

We hit Gymboree next.

And my goodness, they can be so hit or miss.

Sometimes I want to buy the entire store and others I walk out

completely empty handed.

But they had a few cute things for Kate and Ethan.

There was one shirt that I thought was too cute...a little brown headed

girl walking a yorkie on a leash.

Could we get any closer to perfection?

I didn't think so.

But Kate said, "M-O-M...I am NOT going to wear THAT."

Ok. End of story.

We did agree on a few things, so I guess we accomplished something.

It only took us over an HOUR.

Well, as it turns out, we ended up with the wrong size on a skirt,

so I went to another store today for an exchange.

My mom was with us and she saw an outfit that she thought was too

stinkin' cute. And she told Kate she would love to get it for her.

And Kate said, "Granda, I wouldn't wear THAT."

(scrunch face included)

This was VERY FRUSTRATING for me.

She's only FIVE.

Why does she have to act like she's going on FIFTEEN?

...and if you choose to comment....

PLEASE don't tell me it's gonna get worse!! :)

Foto Find Friday AND Favorite Vacation Blog Hop

2009-08-14T00:04:00.004-05:00

Angie Seeman is hosting another blog hop today and has chosen "water" as the theme this week. I just posted a few water pictures on Wednesday from our time at Possum Kingdom, but don't worry....there's more to come!!

At the resort, there are several pools and my kiddos LOVED this water fall!!

Ethan was content to sit and splash.

I have never seen a baby who LOVES water splashed in their face like this.

Unfortunately, the child has absolutely NO fear of the water.

If you let him go off the end of the step, and he goes all the way under...

he comes of laughing.

Seriously.

And, of course, this was the perfect opportunity to get the jet ski out.

Connor and Kate couldn't wait to ride.

And they had a GREAT time!!

They only like to ride when they can go "fast"!!

It was a surprise to see Connor enjoy it so much.

I wish I would have been able to zoom in on Connor's face.

He's shouting, "WOO HOO!!"

Kelly is hosting a blog hop featuring your favorite vacation spot.

#1 Disney, is of course, one of my all time favs.

We've been twice. Once when we had just two children.

And the second time when we had three.

We've yet to go with all four...maybe next year.

And all of my Disney pics are 35mm, so I'll spare you all of those.

#2 Atlantis in the Bahamas.

We went there in 2003 (I think) with Michael's company.

I'd love to go back there with the kids. They would absolutely love

all of the marine life!

#3 Paris.

Another trip with said company.

What could possibly be better than the Eifel tower?

#4 Cruise.

We've only taken one cruise but I'd LOVE to take the

children on a Disney cruise.

But I want to wait until Ethan is old enough to join in on all the kids activities!!

Last but not lease....BARBADOS.

Michael has extended family that live there, so we try to go there every few years.

We would love to go more, but it's crazy expensive to

travel there with a party of SIX! HA!

Here is just a taste...

Last year was the first time we went on the zip lines. VERY COOL!!

Yes, I'm one of "those" mothers who likes the boys to match when they can.

We had a little private beach with the property we rented. It was AWESOME!!

The Cliffs at Possum Kingdom

2009-08-12T19:16:00.000-05:00

We've been playin' at Possum Kingdom this week with my parents. The kids ABSOLUTELY love tubbin' behind Granddad's boat.

Infact, this was the first time for Kate and Connor to tube.

At first, Kate went Granda and Connor rode with me.

And then they decided that they liked it so much they both wanted to go by themselves!

They had SOOOO MUCH FUN!!

"The End"

Celebration

2009-08-11T15:14:00.000-05:00

On Sunday, August 9, 2009 we got to celebrate our son's salvation!

On Wednesday, July 29th Connor asked Jesus in his heart. If you missed it, you can

see him pray here. We were having a little family reunion this weekend

at our house so we waited until Sunday for him to be baptized.

It is always the purest form of joy to see you child choose to follow Christ.

And it was a double dose to see Connor follow through

with his baptism. He was nervous when we first mentioned baptism.

(Remember, this is the child with sensory issues.)

But when Michael showed him in the Bible where Jesus commands us

to do so, Connor knew he would "try".

Pastor Barry asked, "Connor, is Jesus your Lord and Savior?"

And Connor said quite LOUDLY and VERY clearly, "YES SIR!!"

"It is my privilege, then, to baptize you in the Father,....

"....the Son, and the Holy Spirit."

AMEN, AMEN, AND AMEN!!

Foto Find Friday

2009-08-09T23:39:00.000-05:00

Angie is hosting "Foto Find Friday", a new blog hop where each week we'll post a variety of pictures, relating to a topic she chooses. It's a super great way to make sure you're using your camera EVERY day. It will also cause us to look at the things around us in a different "light"!! So, come on a join us!!

This week's focus is "flowers", so here's one from my flower bed in the front of our house.

Prayer Blog

2009-08-05T22:57:00.000-05:00

Just thought I would let everyone know that I posted an update on the prayer blog, www.miracles-in-the-making.blogspot.com , regarding Shaylee (the little girl mauled by a pit bull). Our prayers are being answered!! Not only is she improving, but she might be able to go home soon!!

She still has years of surgeries ahead of her, but God is healing that little girl!! She looks so much better in her recent pictures. If you click over to take a look, please leave some words of encouragement in the comments section for her family.

Thanks!!

Soap Box #1001

2009-08-05T12:02:00.000-05:00

For those of you who know me well, you would probably agree that I'm pretty easy going and easy to get along with. (If you don't think so, just pretend for a moment.)

HOWEVER, you don't want to get on my bad side, hit list, or soap box. Well, congratulate Marriott because they've been promoted to #1 on my hit list.

They have frustrated me to no end. Seriously.

When Michael started working for Biolase over three years ago, he signed up with the Marriot rewards program because he knew there would be several occasions where he would need hotel accomodations. SOMEHOW, during this process his name was entered incorrectly. And we have been trying ever since to have the spelling corrected.

Every piece of mail from them has his name as "MichEal Roony". No joke.

His emails are addressed to "Mr. Roony".

He can't log onto his Marriott account because of the mis spellings.

And EVERY time we make a reservation, they can't find his account because the name on his credit card on file doesn't match the name on his account.

And EVERY stinkin' time we check in to a dang Marriott hotel, they politely notify us that his name isn't spelled correctly in their system. NO JOKE.

And as anal as I am, don't you think I've tried nothing short of 1001 times to have it changed to the correct spelling? And EVERY time the Marriott employee will say they've fixed it.

Until the next time we make a reservation, or receive mail, or an email and 'lo and behold....it's addressed to freakin' MichEal Roony.

So I called the Marriott 1-800 number yesterday and asked to speak to a supervisor. Everyone knows if you want anything accomplished on an 800 number you really need to go through the supervisor. I have you know that stinkin' little snob WOULD NOT let me speak to her supervisor because she THINKS she fixed his name. Seriously. At this point, you have to laugh.

Someone out there in blogland MUST have connections to an employee of Marriott. I'm thinkin' I should offer a reward to the employee who could actually fix this problem. Let me know if you have any connections.

Panning

2009-08-03T23:07:00.000-05:00

We learned a new technique in my photography class and I had a chance to practice today. Panning is the term given when you "freeze" a moving object, but the background shows the movement. I had so much fun with this!

I used shutter speed 1/40 f-stop 32 ISO 200. Did I mention how much fun this was??

On another note, I think I totally lost my mind today (what was left of it, anyway).

Michael has been asking for some time now that I go blonde.

Beach blonde. Platinum.

Jessica Simpson or Carrie Underwood blonde.

And today I gave in.

Don't know what in the world I was thinkin'!!!!

When I walk by a mirror, I have to look twice because I still don't recognize myself.

Not sure it's me...but my man is thrilled.

When I get up the nerve, I'll post a pic.

Now, some of you who visit this blog are bound to have some

"crazy hair" stories. So...let's hear it!!

Leave you story in the comments!

Lazy Saturday

2009-08-01T18:41:00.000-05:00

We all slept until AFTER 8:00 this morning. WOOHOO!! I spent most of the morning working on material from my photography classes.

Then about mid day we all decided to get outside to catch some rays. Due to VBS it's been almost two weeks since I've seen some decent sun and my tan is fading quickly. Of course, once we got out, we noticed it was a little cloudy.

But we made the most of it.

We even got the pups in on all the fun!

Ethan was taking a nap, so therefore he missed the photo opp in the pool.

Within just half an hour, the sky changed....

The storm was pretty rough, so we'll be inside the rest of the evening. I'm thinkin' it'll be another "movie night"!

AGD Contest/Give Away

2009-07-31T19:26:00.000-05:00

As I mentioned a few weeks ago, I'm taking some photography classes right now. Angie Seaman is an AMAZING photographer who has a unique artistic style, which I adore. When she offered her first class, I didn't waste anytime hopping on board. To say that I've learned a lot, is simply an understatement!!

Angie is having a contest/give away today. We are supposed to post pictures of somewhere in our hometown showing an "AGD" sign. So, welcome to Mansfield, Angie!! You'll be visiting my church....Crossroads Christian....

I encourage you to hop over to see her blog (just click on her name above). Angie would love for you to participate in the contest as well!

Just take a picture of something/someone in your home town with a sign

that says something like "AGD was here".

Post the picture in your blog, then link it to her's.

If you do so, leave me a comment!

This could be a lot of fun!!

We had VBS this week, so we've been living up here. But it was a great week, and if you saw the post from yesterday, you know that God blessed our family in the BEST way possible!! I thought I'd share a "few" pics from this week. VBS this year was "Son Rock Kids Camp" so we decorated with all types of animals that you might find while camping out in the wilderness!!

The kids brought various items through out the week to stock our "Helping Hands" ministry.

(Does this look like Michael Jr. or what???)

To God be the Glory

2009-07-29T23:31:00.001-05:00

First let me say that Kate is doing better and better with each day.

Thank you for all of your phone calls and prayers!

Now, we've had SUCH an INCREDIBLE day!

We started off the morning at VBS and then met up with some out of town friends at

Chuck E. Cheese.

Jackson and Micah Collins were visiting their grandmother this week and so

we got to meet up with them for lunch and a few hours of fun.

Ethan just LOVED Micah and just kept trying to give him some love.

But Ethan and Micah (age 5) probably weigh close to the same,

so Ethan kept pushing Micah over. Very Humerous!

Then, this evening our church took over 2400 people to a Rangers game.

We all had matching red T-shirts. It was fund to see sooo many people from our church there!
Here's my crew waiting to get into the stadium.
It was a great night to be there 'cause it was $1 Hot dog night!!
But don't worry...I still managed to indulge in some Garlic Fries.
Need I say more?

These two had a CRAZY great time!!

Can you see all of the red shirts in the background? Cool, huh!

I don't think the Rangers won, but we had a great night, none the less.

And THE BEST was yet to come...

After getting home and taking showers,

Connor prayed and asked Jesus in heart.

NEVER, NEVER under estimate the power of children

learning/memorizing scripture...

Connor was been "obsessed" with his verse from Monday...

1 John 3:1 "How great is the love that the Father has lavished on us, that we

should be called children of God."

It's a little different translation, but how crazy that it is the verse

I choose for this blog...

...and God used that verse to make the love of JESUS real to my 7 year old son.

On Tuesday, they learned Isaiah 41:13 and Connor realized that with Jesus you

don't have to be afraid because HE is always with you.

And then today they learned Romans 10:9..."For if you confess with your mouth that

Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."

Connor believes that Jesus died for him.

He knows he will never leave him nor forsake him.

And he knows that NO MATTER WHAT, Jesus now lives in his heart.

Praise Jesus for cameras...this is a moment I want to remember for as long as I live.

TO GOD BE THE GLORY.

Monday

2009-07-27T23:36:00.001-05:00

First and foremost, please continue to keep Stellan in your prayers. We need to pray for complete healing, wisdom for his doctors, and peace for his family

We started VBS this week at our church, so this will be a busy week. But this is definitely one of my favorite weeks of the entire summer. (However, this year we are expecting to have rain everyday. It makes "game" time the extreme challenge! HA!)

And to top it all of, my afternoon we spent at the doctor's office with Kate. She's a sick little girl right now. We have to do this EVERY four hours for the next three days.

Kate's been struggling with a cough for several days...actually almost a week. We weren't seeing much improvement with over the counter meds. And today when she was taking a nap, Michael and I both realized how extremely fast she was breathing. We took her to the doctor within the hour.

Her oxygen level wasn't where it needed to be and the doc said her pulse was DOUBLE what it should be. Her heart was racing.

And although this is NOTHING in comparison to what Stellan is faced with, I got a small glimpse of what it feels like to have a child who's heart is beating faster than it should.

We had to do a total of three breathing treatments before we ever left the doctors office AND they gave her liquid steroids to help get her pulse/breathing under control.

She has a long road to recovery, but we're thankful that we got her to the doctor when we did. Our prayer at this point is that her body will respond well to the meds and that she won't begin to develop any infection. If she does, the doctor warned she'd end up with pnemonia.

For now, she just wants her daddy close by (and me occasionally) :)

Blog Hop - Favorite Recipe - 4th of July Pie

2009-07-21T12:39:00.000-05:00

Since I posted a picture of dessert on my last post of "Show Us Where You Live", I'd thought I should share that recipe:

Ingredients:
1 pie crust
1 qt strawberries
4 squares of white chocolate
8 oz cream cheese
1 cup milk
1 small instant white chocolate pudding
1/2 cup blueberries
cool whip (if desired)

Bake pie crust at 425* for approx 10-12 minutes. (Don't forget to poke with a fork first!!) Set aside 8 strawberries and slice the rest. Set them aside. Slice the 8 in half. Melt white chocolate. Cover (dip) the strawberry halves and set aside to harden. Brush the remaining white chocolate on the bottom of the cooled pie crust. Whip the cream cheese, beat in milk slowly, then add pudding. Once you have a creamy mixture, layer the SLICED strawberries on the bottom of the pie. Top with pudding mixture. Arrange the 16 chocolate covered halves around the outer layer. Fill in the middle with blueberries. May can garnish the edge with cool whip, if you like.
Enjoy!!

Now, for those of you who thought we had fallen off the face of the earth...I assure you we have NOT. It's been a whirl wind around here lately. Last week we all joined Michael in Tulsa where he had business to attend to. We had a great time as a family and really enjoyed hanging out with one of his co-workers and his family. We ate at Savastano's. OH MY GOODNESS. We've eaten there once before, but this was the first time I had the ultimate pleasure of having their supreme. Sweet Heavens!! So, I'd thought I should share:

This was BY FAR the absolute best pizza I've ever had. But due to the size (it stands about 3 inches high) I could only handle one piece. It was probably one of the most expensive pizzas I've ever had, but worth every single solitary cent!! I wish I had their recipe fo' sho'!!

After returning home from Tulsa, I was out of town for several days at my annual scrapbook retreat. While I was there I had my first hot rock massage. Very Relaxing! I had a great time with my sis, cousin, mom, and some friends. And I'm just soooo very thankful that my sweet hubs lets me go every year. It is a treat!

THEN, after I came home on Sunday, we left for Houston. We had a crazy fast trip, and now we're back at home. I almost feel like a stranger (not really). I can't wait to sleep in my own bed tonight!!

Three Things About Me

2009-07-14T14:36:00.000-05:00

Todays blog hop is to tell three things about yourself. So, although some of these were mentioned yesterday, this is what is on my mind:

1) I am currently enrolled in TWO photography classes and LOVING every minute of it! (Although I'm goin' a little crazy, too!)

2) After traveling to Rogers, AR (Bentonville...HI Kelly!) last month, I find myself asking my husband quite freqently if we can move there. There is beautiful scenery. And I really took notice of the slower pace of life there.

3) The last week of July is VBS at our church. I am the director over Elementary for the second year. We will probably have over 1000 children in attendance. It is a HUGE task...but sooo incredibly rewarding!

I Think I'm Loosing My Mind....

2009-07-13T23:28:00.000-05:00

I'm not sure WHAT I was thinking when I signed up for two photography classes that overlap for two weeks. YIKES. All I wanted, was to learn how to use this...

...on something other than "AUTO". The instructors and classes are INCREDIBLE. But while I was out taking pictures tonight I realized that I couldn't remember what pictures I needed for what class. All of the criteria got so mixed up in my pea sized brain that I was ready to scream!! (Of course, maybe the tendency to scream had more to do with my four children at dinner...who knows.)

Anywho, don't be surprised if I don't post much this week. We're traveling with Michael and then later this week.....it's my annual scrapbook retreat. Amen.

I CANNOT believe that it's almost mid-July already! I'm excited that my much loved scrappin' time is here...but a little sad too. The retreat is followed by our VBS...then a mini family reunion...then a little get a way at The Cliffs...then school. Holy Nuts.

Show Us Where You Live

2009-07-09T23:49:00.000-05:00

This week Kelly is hosting Show Us Where You Live - foryers/Entry Ways.

When you walk up to this front door...

...you'll enter to this...

If you look up, you'll see this...

And looking down from the stairs....

To your left is our home office (Michael is working..."hello, honey!")

To the right is our formal dinning room.

The table in the foryer has one of my favorite pictures!

Thanks for stopping by!

Wish you had time for a piece of this...

...maybe next time! :)

Summer Fun

2009-07-08T11:26:00.000-05:00

These are some pictures of the neighborhood boys having a great evening showing off their stunts on the diving board.

Favorite Foto Blog Hop

2009-07-07T11:59:00.000-05:00

I've joined fellow bloggers in today's Favorite Foto Blog Hop.

Here's my favorite pic from this week.

And I must confess that I wasn't the photographer this time.

Michael was behind the camera.

Which, for those of you that know his picture taking skills, this was QUITE the accomplishment!

Ethan just finished eating Spaghetti.

And in case you couldn't tell, he fed himself.

Michael stripped off the clothes and threw him in my tub.

And obviously, he didn't mind!!

Oh, and check out my little SIS (a.k.a. Aunt Grabbie). She is #674!!

A Book for Kate

2009-07-05T16:53:00.000-05:00

On Friday my sister and I went to a scrapbook store in Waxahachie. Now, to many of you this wouldn't seem like anything special. However, EVERY scrapbook store in the Arlington/Mansfield area has closed. (That is, with the exception of Hobby Lobby and Michaels...which are actually CRAFT stores)

And there's nothing like a great scrapbook store....they have all the

latest papers, embellishments, blah blah blah.

THIS particular store we went to was no exception.

GREAT selection! Seriously.

They carried a large selection of chip board related items....

alphas, designs, and they even had books.

These weren't just any books...they were in a variety

of shapes and sizes.

I loved 'em. They were so cute.

So I bought a book to make for Kate.

It's in the shape of a tiara.

And as if I had nothing better to do, I sat down yesterday and finished the whole thing.

Couldn't wait.

And most importantly ....she LOVED it!

She thanked me over and over.

And said, "Mommy, I thought you were making another book

for someone else. I'm so excited that you were just trickin' me"