Happy Valentines Day!

It feels like we were just doing the big Christmas Card rush - tons of photo sessions, last minute print jobs and getting them to clients in time to be mailed - and now it's time for Valentines Day. I love doing sessions with my kiddos, but it's always harder than I anticipate being mom and the photographer at the same time. Lollie pops, pleading and lots of goofy smiles later, I think we did suprisingly good. The boys favorite part was jumping...those didn't make the cut, but I'll post some here later. I hope Daddy likes his cards as much as the boys do!

The Birthday Party

The kiddos before the treasure hunt, dressed, armed and ready to go!

Rudi was their guide --- gotta love the hat!

Lining up to feel the Monkey Brains, Guts and Eyeballs

Blowing out the candle

And the invite

Indiana Ethan was the theme of Ethan's 6th Birthday Party! They had such a good time! We're grateful there are such good friends in his kindergarden class.

Happy 6th Birthday Ethan!

We can't believe our Ethan is 6 years old today! He's growing up so fast! We love you, Ethan! You're growing into such a fun young man. You'll always be our little boy!

Mother's Day Pictures

Just a few from our Mother's Day photo session.

Better late than never!

Not So Random Things Around the House

Here are some random, and not so random, things around our house. I'm such a copy cat. I saw this sort of thing on someone else's blog, and I thought I'd do it too.

My headboard

Stuff from the mantel...the flask is from Rudi's trip to Germany a few years back. He has such a hard job! Poor thing!
I think these flowers give me tranquility
Rudi brought this Buda back from Bangcok (again, what an awful job he has!). I think it's funny that he put it here on our entry table with the pass-along cards....It's since been relocated :o)
Oddly, I think the table itself is also from Bangcok, by way of Hobby Lobby, of course :o)
Still in PJs, nice face, Ash. Note, the cool sweatshirt. I think I found it at a garage sale once for $1. How could they let this go?!

Like I said, still in PJs. (and we obviously need a haircut!) My boys, always the hams. I guess it's my fault, as they have grown up with a lens in their faces.
The candelier sans the cobwebs -- thank you Dish TV guy.
Sis Flanagan (my favorite seminary teacher) gave me this picture (she owned a frame shop) and I have kept it close to my heart ever since. Thanks!

Storybook Exhibit at Downtown Library

The big downtown library was once a bank is is just a beautiful place. Today they had an traveling story book exhibit that Ethan and Ashton and I went to for his preschool. We liked it so much, we took Daddy back on Saturday.

Cinderella's carriage

Ethan's an elephant...I thought this was a clever way of making an Elephant costume.
Ethan posing for me (he's such a trooper) on the balcony of at the Beauty and the Beast exhibit

Ashton climbing up the beanstalk And both boys sliding downAshton stuffed himself into one of Cinderella's buckets at the cinder.
I love the door to this old bank turned library. I see some senior photos here... Lots of fun downtown urban stuff.

Sticky After Pancakes!

This is an impromptu photo session, as I was still experimenting with natural light and the boys had just eaten pancakes and were sticky. They started to take off their sticky pj shirts and were dancing around the room to a little Beasty Boys, and I grabed the camera. My favorite one is where Ethan has his hand on Dad's head, and Ashton is laughing kissing dad's cheek and Rudi looks trapped!