When to have #2?

Mr. N and I have been talking about #2
you see we said all along that we would start trying around Babygirls 2nd birthday...
Well thats next month HA
SO its like NOW
I'm ready... Kinda upset that I didn't lose as much weight as I wanted to.
but I don't know if Baby girl is...
She's pretty good at sharing things...
her cousins K1-K6 are around a lot
and she does great with them.
(one major reason is they are amazing with her)
but when she's in a bigger group she tends to go hang out by herself
which is pretty common for an only child right?
But shes not so good at sharing me.
I went to drop off some pictures to a client
and I was playing with their incredibly adorable lil boy
Baby girl was a little unsure and wanted me to pick her up
I told her no and continued playing with him
She was fine but it got me thinking.
What is she going to be like with a baby
Shes a little mommy for sure
whenever she sees or hears a baby she wants to go see
We ask her if she wants a baby but shes just a little to young to understand what we mean.
So I guess friends when do you think is a good time? what are your kids ages?
and in a PERFECT world what would be the age difference of your kiddos?

Oh look how little she was!!!
I think my uterus just started aching LOL

For the troops

I LOVE MY FAMILY.  I'm not just talking about my immediate family but my entire crazy lovable extended family.  We are always there for each other, always supportive, and truthfully my cousins are more like my brothers and sisters.  I really think that when it comes down to it we are each others best friends. 

We have a cousin that was deployed to Afghanistan 5 months ago.  I had been meaning to send her a care package for months.  It's a sorry excuse, but life kept getting in the way or we just didn't have any extra money.  Well, I felt TERRIBLE when she surprised me with a flower delivery when I came down with the flu two months ago.  How sweet is that? She's all the way around the world, in a war zone, and she's sending ME flowers???  That got my butt in gear!  My parents and I put together a box of shampoo, snacks, lotion and Halloween trick or treat bags.  We were able to stuff 5 extra trick or treat bags in there so that she could give it to a few of her friends. 

The trick or treat bags got us thinking.  Wouldn't it be awesome to send her and her fellow troops a care package for Christmas too?  Luckily she is based at an Airfield and has a "desk job" at the Stability Operations Office.  This office serves as a liaison between the military and civilian operations.  I emailed her and asked her how many troops she works with and their names.  I also sent out an email to family here in the states to see if they would also like to contribute to this project.  The response was overwhelming!

A cousin in Colorado sent a check to help with shipping.  An aunt and uncle bought 33 bibles.  My parents went to Costco for snacks.  My brother is making 33 DVD's of Christmas movies. A cousin in Arizona is also sending a check.  Another aunt is going to Costco for stocking stuffers....I could go on and on.  And yes, as you just read we are sending them Christmas stockings!

I bought stockings the other night and wrote their names on it.  We are all getting together for our "Thanksgiving before Thanksgiving" dinner in two weeks (Thanksgiving is split between CA & AZ so it's really 2 days for our family).  After dinner we will stuff the stockings as a family.

Like I said I LOVE MY FAMILY!

If you're interested in sending the troops a care package this Christmas and don't know where to start here are a few links:

https://www.uso.org/Donate_OUCP_Search/?src=W107OUCP04

http://ustroopcarepackage.com/

http://www.give2thetroops.org/

Hurtful words..

Still trying to stay afloat and be postive.

It's been really hard lately. 

Peoples words keep swirling in my head. 

Ya know those words some people say... 

That make scratch when they say it...

and as time goes on..

it grows in to a gaping sore 

No matter how much you think its not true.. 

It's still only in the back of your head..

You see, I'm a photographer. 

I have loved Photography since I was little

I remember my parents giving me their old canon. 

no auto focus.. 

no zoom..

I LOVED that thing...

I wanted to go to school for it..

but decided a more stable major would be best...

Now I have the support of my amazing husband I started 

Simple Love Photography

I'm not trying to get rich

I'm not saying I'm amazing. 

But I try my hardest..

I work my butt off...

I love what I do.... 

But there's this one comment from someone...

a friend

that I cant get out of my head.

She said that my pictures look

"Like anyone can do them" 

I don't know why it bothers me so much..

But I cant get it out of my head....

I keep going back and forth... 

am I really not good?

Do my pictures really look like anyone can do it

I'm all for constructive criticism but is that really constructive and am I being overly sensitive??

I hate that my posts lately have been so negative... 

I'm sorry... I kinda feel like this is my only outlet....

One of THOSE days....

It's been one of THOSE days today. 

Babygirl, for some really odd reason, decided NO nap... 

She has NEVER done this in her entire life...

on top of it..

She has a runny nose

and only wants me to hold her...

I, on the other hand, am EXHAUSTED

I have been trying to stay active.. 

Running and such 

since I'm not on medication for my thyroid 

and I think my body might be a bit upset with me

I have lost my patience a few times

and locked myself in the bathroom a few times

(any other moms out there do that????) 

I have been trying to get stuff for her birthday party

and 2 photo shoots this weekend

I wish I had a girlfriend out this way

that had a baby that we can stick in a room to play

and drink a cup of coffee (or vodka tonic whateves lol) 

 I shouldn't complain

This is the first frustrating day with Baby girl ever

She's normally sooo good

I think its more my fault today than hers..

IS IT BED TIME YET??????

My Sister aka Wonderwoman

I know I have mentioned my sister a few times

She's freakin AMAAAZING

Let me just tell you a bit about her..

She's 5 years older than me
She's my best friend

 She is married to one of the best guys out there

they are hilarious together
they still don't fart in front of each other!

They have 6 kids, 

YES you read that right 6 KIDS!!

Crazy ya... 

Now when you think someone has 6 kids you think

crazy, naughty, obnoxious rugrats...

But seriously, these are the best most WELL behaved kids you will EVER meet
I would GLADLY take all 6 any day

Their names all start with a K

We often refer to them as K1..K2..K3 and so on

I adore each and every one of these kids 

So Keep in mind that she has 6 kids...

She ALSO has 2 businesses!

She does nails out of her house. 

She does all different kinds of pretty nails.

 they are bomb

 Yes those are my hands :)
So if you live in AZ you need to call her!

The other business (and the reason for this post) 

is she makes BEAUTIFUL Custom Jewelry

She so perfectly named it "Six designs" (get six kids lol) 

 

 This one is mine :) I LOOOVE it! I wear it everyday :) 

They are super affordable and she ships every where....
Perfect for Christmas gifts!

So go check out her Facebook page here

You wont regret it I promise!!

(PS she didn't pay me to write this.. I wanted to share her amazing work)

Let the Craziness Begin!!!

Now that Halloween is over....

the holidays are HERE!! YAAAAY

Usually my AMAZING older sister takes on the Holidays

She always had the bigger house

and she knows how to do these things...

Well this year, they had to move to a small condo while they look for a house to buy...

Which leaves me having the only house big enough to fit everyone...

So this year I am hosting the following.... 

Thanksgiving

Our Cousins Annual Christmas party 

babygirls 2nd birthday party

AND 

Christmas x2

(once on Christmas Day for Mr. N's family and the following weekend for mine)

I'm a little worried that I will either completely lose my hair

or sleep up until January 1st (unlike most people when I get stressed I sleep LOL) 

and through all of this I have photo shoots almost EVERY weekend!

Even thought it should be COMPLETELY insane

I am sooo excited! 

I love having people over

I have an amazing family! 

And Babygirl is at that age where shes going to have fun! 

LOVE this time of year!!!!

Are you hosting any of the Holidays?? Any tips for a newbie :) 

(Christmas Last year... babygirl was so little!!)

Halloweeeeeen

Why can't witches have babies??

Because they have halloweenies.. hehe

When I was little I used to make my mom dress me up in a batgirl costume 

(not on halloween.. just random days)

and NOBODY knew it was me.. 

I was Batgirl....

So I couldn't resist making babygirl Batgirl too :) 

 Last year we didn't carve pumpkins because we were in California. 

So this was Babygirl's FIRST pumpkin carving!! yay

I love those two :) 

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
And
HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHONA!!!!