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Wednesday, June 12, 2013

My Little Beach Lover

Living near the beach is quite a blessing when you love to be outside and have a little man who adores the ocean!  We are definitely making the most of it this summer.  While the water can still be a little chilly to swim in, it's perfect for skim boarding.  This past weekend we were taunted by a tropical storm, but we were able to get in a good two hours of fun in the sun on Sunday!  Little man loves his skim board and he is getting better with each trip to the beach!  
 


Check out those little boy muscles!  He is extremely lean and fit.  He is also hitting that age where he aware of what he looks like and wants to be "buffer."  Don't worry, he will not be lifting weights or taking protein for years and years.  He needs to grow before that happens.  It happening is inevitable for the most part, but when it happens is still in our control thank heavens!
 

 
I am totally digging the action shots!






Ok, so I went a little crazy with the editing and the photo taking, but when it's the middle of the day, hazy, and perfect picture taking weather, you have to take advantage of it.  I can guarantee you that the average beach pictures will be heavy with shadows and I hate that.  When in Rome! 
 
Side note:  I am horrible at skim boarding.  I wish I was a fearless child. 
 
Much love.

First School Dance for Little Man!

On Friday, June 7, 2013, J-man had his very first dance…err social.  It was just for the 5th graders and it was only from 6-8pm, but boy o boy you would have thought it was prom!  J-man and his best friend, Caleb were so excited about this dance, and rightly so.  The start of dances is a rite of passage for youngins.  I remember my first dance, the butterflies I had and the high hopes of dancing with my little crush.  But, I will admit, I was far less cool than this little dude.  J-man has a confidence and sense of style that I lacked until much older.  Heck, who am I kidding?  I’ve never been cool and never will be and that perfectly fine by me because I’m happy and quite content with the woman I’ve become, but I digress. 

Back to cute, super cool, little 5th graders...

 
He was a little nervous that's for sure, but he was super cool about it.  He asked me how to slow dance because he didn't know where to put his hands.  Hehe!  I love him!  Hubby and I showed him how to slow dance...the PG version of course. He's used to watching me dance, so the poor kiddo was probably really intimidated when he heard "dance."  The sense of relief on his face when he saw hubby and I demonstrate was adorable!  My dad told me he probably thought he was super cool because he learned to dance from a pro.  In his mind I'm a pro.  In reality, I am far from a professional dancer.



I adore the pictures above!  Thank heavens he humored me and let me take tons of pictures!  This was a super memorable moment!

Mr. Cool Guy is over the pictures, but I'm not!

Fake Smile.  He really was giddy though!


Ok, I'm done torturing the kiddo. It was getting close to 5:45 i.e. the time he was supposed to walk to his best friend's house.  We all headed down, saw the boys in all their handsome, super cool guyness, and told them to have a blast. 
 
Hubby and I went on a little dinner date and then we headed to the school to pick up the boys!  They sprinted out to us covered in sweat with huge smiles and tons of stories!!  It was priceless!  Both boys asked their little ladies to dance!  Jared asked Lena!  Caleb asked Maria!  Brave little buggers!  The both screamed in really hyper pre-puberty voices that it was the most fun they have ever had!  Snap!  I'd call that a successful first dance! 
 
To cap the night off, they had a sleepover! 
 
Much love.

Monday, June 3, 2013

Lipstick

Lipstick makes a statement.
Some people wear it to stand out.
Some people wear it to feel confident or pretty.
Some people wear because their mama’s wear it.
Some people wear it to conform.
It comes in fire engine red
And Hot Pink.
Its softer pinks and beiges are subtle, but pretty.
The options are endless.
In the end it all comes down to what we think looks good on our lips.

My mom is a red lady!
My gramma is a pearl pink lady!
I am a gloss, shimmer, natural lady….
But I’ve been known to break out the red from time to time!

Why a lipstick themed post?  Well, over Memorial Day weekend I visited my Gramma at her nursing home and she was in a sour mood.  She told me she was a “sack of potatoes these days.”  If you know my gramma, you know that is a bad sign.  If you know me, you know fresh air and or music are the cures for a sad soul.  Since it was super windy that day, I promised her I’d take her outside the next day.  I showed up Sunday morning with my Mom, Husband, stepson and puppy.  The first thing out of her mouth was “Get me my lipstick!”  Oh yea, Gramma’s back!!  She’s wheelchair bound and hurting in so many areas, but that lipstick makes her feel alive!  My mom held her compact while I put on her lipstick and then Gramma rubbed her lips together and smiled with approval!  Gosh I love her!

Lipstick on and she was ready to go for a walk in the sunshine!  Little Lira bee-booped up to her and ended up sitting on her lap after running around for a bit.  Pets can be quite soothing; I think Lira would be a great hospital dog.  She loves to be lazy and never refuses a scratch!


Pearl Pink Lipstick Lady!



Going for a walk with her daughter, granddaughter, grandson (inlaw), great grandson, great grandpuppy!

 
Great Grandson and Great Grandpuppy running!


Lira enjoying a relaxing ride with gramma!

P.S. What's your lipstick of choice?

Much love. 

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

A First Mother's Day Photoshoot in Black & White

 
This little guy has made his mama the happiest woman in the world!
He's almost three months old and has a very strong personality!
His facial expressions and pure strength never cease to amaze me.
I'm very lucky to be able to rock him to sleep, bounce him through
cranky periods, and see his face light up from big smiles and silly voices!
Taking pictures of him is so pleasant!  
Just look at his adorable face. 
Who wouldn't want to hang out with him and take pictures?
Enjoy his first Mother's Day shoot in black and white tones.
Please comment/critique. 
I'm not a professional photographer.
I just enjoy capturing faces and moments.
 








Monday, May 6, 2013

JR aka Bubba

J.R. aka "Bubba" is raising Money for Connecticut Children's Medical Center! He just spent a week at CCMC and sadly isn't a stranger to the medical center, but he is such a happy and strong little boy with an amazing twin sister, baby sister and mom and dad!  Together they are trying to raise money to give back with the hopes that they can help other children receive the loving care that Bubba has.  

Please consider donating here today! Every little bit helps!

If you can't donate, don't worry, just vote for the little cutie here! He is the bottom left Superman!

And most importantly, say a little prayer for all the children who are in need of medical care, lots of love, and every one's prayers!

Now enjoy some adorable pictures!!  This mama and papa makes some cute kiddos!



JR at the March of Dimes in 2012
Photograph by Farrell Photography

Photograph by simplyKstudio Photography

Much love.


Friday, May 3, 2013

My Derby Hat & Silly Boys

A beautiful lady that I am honored to call a friend and fellow dancer made me a special headband for the Kentucky Derby tomorrow and for the local racetrack.  I absolutely love it and think it fits me perfectly! 

Photo courtesy of my Hubby!

Photo courtesy of my Hubby!
So, what do you think?  I am in love!  I've been wearing all night and cannot wait to show it off tomorrow!  Thank you so much to the coolest, sweetest, most endearing and thoughtful French lady!  You are a true sweetheart and I am so lucky to know you.  Your work is amazing and your dancing is breathtaking.


This evening J-man had a sleepover.  It was a boys' night until I came home from dance.  I realized that boys are just as giggly as girls are at this age.  I also noticed that they love to look at themselves in the mirror and play with their hair.  They even let me take pictures of them! 
 
J-man is the short one and he's older...poor little guy.


 
They are silly.  Love 'em!
 
Much love.

Thursday, May 2, 2013

Funky Town & Coffee

Yea, that’s where I have been residing for quite some time and while most of the time I have controlled my funks pretty well, sometimes, I just let them get to me.  Monday and Tuesday, I let my funk get to me and I ran with it.  I drank beer out of a wine glass, told my husband I needed me time, I started watching The Good Wife on Amazon Prime, and I have planned out a ton of creations that I want to work on in the coming days.  I feel much better!  It’s amazing how a little bit of self pampering and an abnormal routine can help me kick a funk to the sideline.   

So, these crafts! 

1.       I want to finally print some photos and use them in my house!  I’m especially excited about using mPix for my profession photo printing and printstagram for printing instagram photos!  I want to try both out before I use their products for gifts, but if all goes well, there will be some very neat coasters in the future and some sweet photo walls!

2.      I have a ton of scrap fabric that I don’t want to get rid of because I love the pattern, but the pieces aren’t large enough to make a single object.  A patchwork apron is in the making for my little niece.  My plan is that as she grows, the apron can grow with her by adding a row or two of patches!  I think it is a wonderful idea!

3.      Baby bottoms are adorable!  Baby bottoms in funky printed drawstring pants are wicked cute!  I plan on making some sweet drawstring pants for some lucky little kiddos! 

I’m mailing a package today and I am happy about it! 

P.S. Stamps excite me!  I love all the options for pictures and they are all FOREVER, so when I lose them, I don’t feel horrible.
 
P.P.S. Enjoy a Cup of Coffee today and make sure you are focusing on the golf balls in your life.   Here's a little story for you (to explain the "golf balls" analogy):
A professor stood before a philosophy class holding an empty jar. As the students took their seats, she began filling the jar with golf balls. When they reached the top, she asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was. The professor then took a bag of pebbles and poured them into the jar, and they made their way into the spaces between the golf balls.
Again she asked the students if the jar was full, and they agreed that it was.
But the professor had another trick up her sleeve. She brought out a bag of sand and proceeded to pour the grains into the jar, filling up more of the remaining space. Again the question came: “It’s full now, correct?” The answer was a resounding “Yes.”
The professor then took a sip of her coffee and dumped the rest into the jar, filling up spaces that no one thought were there.
“So what does it mean?” the professor asked.
A witty student raised his own coffee mug and asked, “There’s always room for coffee?”
The professor, along with the rest of the class, had a good laugh. Then she said, “Imagine that this jar represents the space in your life. The golf balls represent what’s most important — family, children, health, friends, things that you’re passionate about — the things that at the end of your life you would be glad you paid attention to.
“The pebbles are essential but less important, such as your house, your car, maybe your job.
“The sand is all of the small stuff in life that we’re trying not to sweat.
“The coffee, well, you already answered that one. There is always room for a cup of coffee with a friend.”
The professor continued, “There is room for all of this only if you put the golf balls in first. If you put the sand or pebbles in first, there won’t be room for the golf balls. The way we pay attention to our lives works the same way. If you spend your attention or mental space sweating the small stuff in life, you won’t have the capacity to pay attention to what is most important to you.”
It is a great exercise to do every now and then. Ask yourself: what are the “golf balls” in your life, the things that really matter? At the end of the chapter, Dr. Goldstein recommends a “Now Moment” practice to help us identify and remind us of what truly matters in our life.
Find a jar and some golf ball or nice stones. Label each golf ball or stone with something that really matters in your life. If you don’t have a physical jar and golf balls or stones, you can draw a picture of a jar on a piece of paper along with golf balls. Actions speak louder than words, so check to see where in your life you’re bringing action to your values. maybe you’re taking your partner out to dinner, responding to people and yourself with greater kindness and compassion, being less judgmental, playing games with your kids, getting back into exercise or yoga, or spending time in meditation.
Now put that jar in a prominent place somewhere in your home or office where you can’t miss looking at it. Every time you intentionally look at the jar, your mind is likely to incline towards what truly matters. As you do this, you prime your mind to respond to those values during the spaces of your life.
What are the things that truly matter to you?
Much love.