Back to School Babies!!!!

My babies headed back to school today!  In some ways I was ready b/c the endless fighting this summer has almost sent me over the edge but then it hit me that my baby boy was heading in to kindergarten.  My husband laughed at me as I had a "Mama Meltdown" last night b/c I told him that after you drop your kid off for kindergarten, it is all downhill from there.  Before I know it, he will be getting married:(  He did great this morning and had no issues heading in to his new classroom.  He went to pre-k at this school last year so starting kindergarten was no big deal.  His biggest worry is that he has heard you have to "study" a lot in kindergarten and he isn't really in the mood for that (his words)! What a character I have on my hands!!

My precious little lady headed off to the 4th grade today!  I'm not sure how this happened.  Just yesterday she was making that nervous ride to kindergarten and now look at her:(  She wouldn't let me walk her to her class even though I begged and pleaded.  Once we hit the doors of the school, she took off.  I had to call her back to tell me bye....she did but not without an eye roll.  Then I went a little down her hall to yell "Have a good day" to her.  She stopped, turned around and said "Mom, your on my hall....GO"!  When that happened, I was suddenly sadder about her than I was Tegan starting Kindergarten.  I mean, in a lot of ways she doesn't need me anymore.  I am clinging tight to the things that she does still need me for but I know that those moments are getting few and far between these days! 

I know I have to let these little ones grow up.  Some days I am excited and happy about all the new things they get to do b/c they are getting older but other days I am sad b/c I know that soon enough they will be flying the nest and I will have to patiently sit back and wait for grandbabies.

ENOUGH ALREADY MOM!!!

On a totally different note, I am very excited about my business and hoping that I can fill all this quiet time around the house with lots of working and actually getting all these ideas out of my head an in to reality!  Make sure to visit Cohen Lane to support me as I step up my game a little....I hope:)



Mommy Advice Needed!!!

I try so hard to encourage my kids and not be that mommy that pushes them.  I don’t want to be the “stage mom” in any activity that they do but I have an issue.  My little lady has tried just about everything….dance, cheerleading at a rec. dept., gymnastics, soccer, piano, voice lessons and now the plays and theater stuff.  She always seems to enjoy herself when she is doing these things but she never feels connected to any of it.  Like I see other kids find an activity that they love and cling to but she has just never really been “in love” with any of the stuff that she has done. 

The problem is that she wants to do something.  She is looking for something that she can commit to.  Her latest kick is that she wants to try twirling but there aren’t any close local places around here that offer that….not that I can find anyway.

So the question for Mommy is, if she has done something recently that I can see that she is really good at and that others praise her for how good she is at it, do I push her to continue or allow her to do like she has in the past.  What she has done in the past is finish out what she started and then just says she is done with it and never looks back.  Should I just sign her up and make her do it or let her make that decision.  Let me remind you that she is closer to 10 years old than 9 but is going on 18 any day now! 

Do your kids get tired of their favorite sports or activities they love?  Do you make them sign up for another season even if their heart isn’t in it?  Do you just hope that once they get started back up, they will love it again?  Help a Mama out please!!! 

A beauty in the making...

So last Friday I had the pleasure of photographing precious baby Haven. She was so tiny that I was afraid to touch her. She was perfect the WHOLE TWO HOURS that we tossed her around for pictures.
Haven is a lucky little girl with an awesome big sister. Both of these girls are blessed with very faithful parents that I'm sure will instill that quality right in to them. Haven has had a bit of a bumpy road so far and may have some bumpy roads in the future but with parents like hers to support her, she will be just fine!

Look at her precious hands folded under her chin!

Then there was Haven's beautiful and totally photogenic older sister Haleigh! See for yourself...

The one below is my favorite picture from the whole day! I could take pictures of these two girls all day long!

I pray for baby Haven and her parents daily! The transition in to what is and will be their new normal may be hard for them all, including big sister Haleigh but if they hold fast to their faith their new normal will just become normal.

"And we know that in all things GOD works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28

Now if only I could talk these guys in to letting me use their house for every photo session! When I walked in the door I was in love with big windows, beautiful painted walls and the awesome bench. I so need an actual studio:)

A Chair, A Field and A Hay Bale

It is amazing to take pictures. I mean, some times I get pictures that I can't even believe that I took. Back before Christmas I went to a friends house and did about 8 mini photo sessions for lots of different families. There was the one little cutie that stuck out in my mind. He is all boy and all about being outside, which always makes for the very best pictures! Sometimes it just amazes me how the most unlikely places and props can just make a picture. Really...when you drive past a hay field, do you see the opportunity to get an awesome picture? I use to not but now I do! Don't take my word for it....

Why are you following me with that camera

Seriously...I'm pretty sure this little lady was wondering why I was following her. This past Sunday the weather finally cooperated and let me do a photography session. Of course it would work this way...you know, we have been in a drought for a few years and the minute I start doing something outside, we flood every weekend! I have two sessions scheduled this weekend and it looks like I scheduled them perfect. I have one on Thursday night (not exactly the weekend), then the rain starts on Friday and into Saturday, then it clears up and I have a session with a large family on Sunday. I am soooo excited about the large family and the whole generation thing. Today I wanted to show you a few pics of the PRECIOUS little girl I did some pictures of on Sunday. The overall session was focused on the family of three for their Christmas card but I couldn't resist this little beauty. And She was all about exploring which means that I could just follow her around and got some great pics. I'll post some of the family shots later but for now here are a few of Miss K....

My favorite one of the whole day.

That's the "stop following me with that big black thing in your hand" look!

The little church was unlocked (which has never happened before) so we did a few pics inside....I wonder if that was o.k.??

Sneaky Sneaky! She was planning her escape!

I love this one. I think she was mad at that rock but I'm not sure...maybe it was me:)

This little lady was very quiet and curious, which makes the best subjects. No screaming and crying or any of that. Just a lot of running!

Wordless Monday...

A Boy....ALL BOY

So this is how things were going with Mister E. He runs, climbs and plays. I must say, he is very fast on his feet and was not in to the whole picture taking thing. But I stalked him (especially outside) and finally got a few really good pictures of him that i was please with.

It's so cute to watch how he gets in this swing...he gets way back and gets a running start.

I was able to talk him into sitting on the steps outside for me but he wasn't giving in with a smile. But who cares with those eyes!

He is very serious about his driving skills in the picture to the left. Then in the picture to the right, he is showing me the ant beds.

And then there is this one....my favorite. This is actually an action shot that we were trying to get with his mother but he has his back turned b/c he is trying very hard to get away and he looks back to see if I am still there....and I was!

And here is the whole happy family together. They all really were very great and even dad smiled and didn't seem to mind having his pictures made...guess most men aren't like my husband:) I can't wait to do more pictures of them soon!

Part 1 in black and white

A few weeks ago I did a family session that turned out to be awesome. Besides the fact that this family is just plain beautiful, they were also so fun. Both mom and dad were all in to it and I didn't have to force dad to smile like I would have to do my own husband. Their kids are amazing and the camera really loves them. In less than an hour I took about 240 pictures of them. Here are just a few from the black and whites that I did. More color photos coming in the next post!

Mommy and her baby girl. Awesome moment!

I tell you Miss C is so perfect. Never a bad picture of either of the girls.

Little E was so precious. You can tell she loves her mommy so much in every picture.

Aren't they just a beautiful family!!!

I mean seriously, I didn't even have to ask her to pose like this. We were deciding what picture to do next and I look over and here she was!

I'm ready for my next session so if you live in or around Athens or Commerce let me know!

Photographing Bryson

Why haven't I thought of this before??? I mean I love to take pictures of people but I LOVE to take good and creative pictures of people. Well hopefully this is the beginning of a little money making from that really awesome camera my dear Hubby got me!

I had a session with little man Bryson yesterday afternoon. It had been pouring rain most of the day and the clouds parted just in time for this little man to show how cute he is. At first he was very shy and wouldn't look at me. I still got some great shots of him looking out at the river. Then he warmed up to me and was just so cute. It didn't take much after that to get lots and lots of great pictures. I couldn't even pick from just two to put on here so I didn't...I picked more. I'm not really sure how in the world his mom is going to pick what she wants...there are just to many to choose from.