Super Noob:
Mom n' Me Monday

Today it’s Drew and me in the picture together for Julie’s Mom N’ Me Monday. It’s funny, because I was thinking the other day about the fact that I am in far too few pictures with him. Today, we went up to a nearby mountain, and I thrust my camera into the hands of my eager fairly willing husband and asked him to snap some shots of me with Drew.

Little did I know that he would take me very literally, and just snap away. I think out of 10 or so pictures, he managed to get me sitting down onto the only spike on this log and stabbing myself in the rear…

One of me noticing some dirt on my jeans…

Next, he captured the ever important moment of me wiping off said dirt…

All the while, Drew is smiling away. What a good boy. Here I am next asking Andy if he’s ever going to take our picture. Notice my hand on Drew even raised in question…

What?!?!? You’ve been taking them this whole time? That’s hilarious!
Clearly…

I mean, I didn’t even have time to recompose and smile nicely. Nope. The best we got outta the bunch is the one right above with my extra chin. Thanks, Andy for bringing out my very best. Look at Drew through it all, what a trooper.

As I look at him next to me in these pictures, I am in awe of the fact that he is nearly as big as I. It truly seems like yesterday when he could just fit snugly into my lap. Wow. He was only three (Addyson's age today) when I met him. He's eleven now. I've been so blessed to be a part of his life. I have loved every second of watching him change and grow to become the person he is today, and I look forward with a happy heart to seeing the man he will become. Drew is a good soul, with a caring and compassionate nature. He will be a wonderful man someday. But today, I think I better just soak up all of his 11 year old ways while I can.

I know the point of this is to be in the picture with the kids. But today I am just going to show a couple of the pictures from my little photo session with my stepson, his mom, her fiancé and his boys. Oh, and I feel like this is still acceptable Mom N' Me material since there is a mom in the picture. Right, Julie? Do I get a get out of jail free card?

So, the third picture has some obvious lighting problems. Who was the genius that had them all stand in such an uneven shadow? That one and the last one have no edits on them yet. But there you are…a small sampling from my first group photo session experience. Keeping that in mind, I would consider it mostly a success.
Please go link up with my friend Julie for Mom N’ Me Monday. It’s easy, and fun, and it’s for your own benefit!!

Oh, and P.S. Can someone tell Julie that since, for some strange reason, she doesn't want people stealing her stuff and therefore doesn't allow right clicks on her blog anymore, I can't get her button for this post?

Recently I traveled to Florida to visit my mom (who was there from Massachusetts), and my grandma. From a young age I have always had a special place in my heart for this grandma. I love my dad’s mom too! Very much. It’s just that my mom’s mom was, well…special.

She makes the best pancakes in the world. Her pierogies and stuffed cabbage (she’s Polish) are beyond amazing, and if I laid my head on her lap, she would rub my hair for as long as I wanted.
Sorta like this…

Seeing her in a familiar pose with my daughter, warms my heart in a way I didn’t expect.

Seeing her look at my daughter, and knowing that the love in her heart mirrors my own, warms my heart in a way that I only could have imagined.

I love this woman. I can’t believe that such a short time ago, I sat where Addyson is sitting. Snuggled into her warmth.

Now here I sit, next to my mother and she next to hers, as a mother myself. Four generations. Such a treasure. Though it’s obvious she doesn’t think so here, even Addyson will realize what a gem it is some day.

Thanks, Julie for giving us a reason to share these! If you haven’t go check out the others over at the Peanut Gallery.

Lake Powell that is. My family has been doing an annual lake trip there since well before I was born. So we are headed out tomorrow. I have a few posts scheduled (like Mom N' Me Monday for example), and a wonderful woman has agreed to do my Tuesday post for me! Many of you know and love her already...but please be sure to stop by and say hello to her.

You Know You're a Mom When-sDAZE is all scheduled to post eventhough I won't be here. I will be sure to come check out all who link up once I return. So, please...come join in! So many of you write the most hilarious things ;)

On a side note...I plan to be better versed in Photoshop when I return. I bought a book yesterday, and already I am impressed with it! We'll see. If there are any wonderful tips that are easy enough for me to share, I will. I'm sure some of them will translate to Elements as well.

Have a great week!

Wow! I nearly forgot it was Monday. I have a couple new pictures on my camera, and have yet to upload them to the computer. So…I went over to Julie’s blog to see if she was still doing this post today (why on earth wouldn’t she be? It seems I am the only slacker around here), and I saw all her super cool pictures of feet.
Seeing as how I am indeed a self proclaimed slacker, and I am lacking my own original idea today, I decided to jump into her “feet” themed post. I have a couple of pictures of mine and Colton’s feet together that I took in January. Since they are not even 1/4 as nice as Julie’s, I didn’t think she’d mind if I shared them too.

At the time, I was looking at his feet and thinking that they actually look a lot like mine. I still think they do. Addyson, it seems, has feet that look more like her Dad’s (or at least my sister-in-law’s). Colton though…his little tootsies are just like his mamma’s.

My feet have always been one thing that I like about myself. BUT…I feel compelled to share this tidbit with you…normally, you can see about 4 long sasquatch type hairs on my big toe, and in order to spare you all…I edited them out. Kindly thank me before you go. ;)

Now what’s the hold up? Head on over to The Peanut Gallery to check out all the great Mom N’ Me pictures. Julie’s is really spectacular today.

I had this photo last week…it was taken the same time that the pictures of Drew and I were taken, but I cheated and saved it so I would have a post for this week…even though I didn’t have a new picture. To make up for it, I decided to post this same picture again…only with an action I downloaded from The Coffee Shop. I think Julie would be proud of me. Or she would at least say it was about stinkin’ time! I am always whining about my lack of editing skills. So, this time, I decided to try a little something.

Granted, it was an action…so really, someone else did all the work for me. But the accomplishment was that I figured out how to download the action. Finally.Now, head on over to see Julie at The Peanut Gallery…exit here. Join in the fun while you’re there. It really is fun!

I have this picture that Andy took of me holding Colton. He was a brand new little guy, and I was in love. So in love that it floored me. I experienced it once before when Addyson entered the world, but I didn't really believe my heart could hold that much more. What a fool I was. The second I heard his cry, my eyes flooded and my heart expanded. God had blessed me with another little soul, and Colton immediately found his place.

When I learned I was pregnant with Colton I was a bit surprised. Not, of course, at the how of it...just at the how soon of it. Andy and I had decided it was time to let nature take its course again...and let me just say, nature had the fast track in mind. I was worried about my little Addyson. She was 9 months old when Colton was conceived, and I fretted over her being kicked from the nest too soon. It broke my heart.

As Colton's scheduled due date arrived I fretted over that too. I had tremendous guilt that my babes needed to be born via c-section. With Addyson, I at least went into labor with her, and was able to give it the good ole' college try. But with Colton, I chose his birthday. I hated that (and I don't usually say hate). What if we were taking him out before he was really ready? Shouldn't he have been the one to say "okay guys...here I come!" It took me a long time to be okay with that.

So, here are two pictures actually. The first is one of my holding Addyson after they wheeled me back from surgery. My eyes (and entire face) were so puffy. It's a wonder I could stop crying long enough to have a picture with her. My little baby...too soon the big girl.

Here she is, so unsure of what is all happening. Only 18 months old. But a brave little face nonetheless. She obviously knew something I had yet to learn. That Colton was a precious gift to her. God gave her a new best friend.
And here I am with my newest little addition. I am looking at my screen through a filter of tears as I remember how I felt then...and how even that doesn't compare to what I feel today.

Thanks, Julie for hosting such a wonderful theme. It has afforded me with some wonderful knew photos, and has enabled me to relive some very treasured memories.
Please go join up with Julie for some more Mom N' Me posts.

The following are pictures from Colton’s baptism. He was not a happy camper…but I was. He and his sister were both baptized before I was. In fact, my own baptism took place the following month. My sweet little babe was wearing a gown that has been worn by every baby born into my husband’s family on his father’s side dating as far back as my husband’s great grandmother. The gown was handmade and has an interchangeable ribbon that gets threaded through depending on the sex of the baby.

See the blue ribbon under my arm? Pink when it’s a girl. The gown is so old and so beautiful. More than just the look of it, but the tradition it holds. Too bad it was a little on the small side for me, so…sadly I had to wear something else.
Please be sure to go link up with Julie at The Peanut Gallery…exit here. Rumor has it, she is in my neck of the woods :)

I didn’t get behind the camera this week for Julie’s Mom N’ Me Monday, so I had to dig for an old picture. I found this one, and thought it perfectly depicts life as I know it. Laugh or cry. Laugh or go insane. Laugh or just…be bald. I like to chose to laugh. I laugh when Addyson is yelling in my arms because her brother thought she might make a good teether. I laugh when I walk into the kitchen to find my newly put away clean pots and pans strewn about the dirty kitchen floor. I laugh when I find an entire package of napkins balled up and scattered in front of the water cooler…because Addyson had been playing with the water, and “cleaned” her own mess. I laugh when I am running late, searching for some last minute diaper bag items, am just about to leave, and Colton lets loose a huge mess in his pants. I laugh because if I don’t, then what? I laugh because my life is good. I laugh because I want to leach as much joy out of every single moment I am allowed here.

And yes, my laugh is as obnoxious as it looks.

Last week, I was set to dig out some old photographs, but Julie gave us a reprieve since she slacked off was busy and didn't get her post up, and I was able to get Andy to take some pictures of me with the kiddos on Easter. Of course most of the pictures are of the usual variety whenever I am included. Lots of squirming, fussing and an overall poor disposition. The kids aren’t especially thrilled either.

Lovely…Just lovely. Oh, but wait…there’s more, much more!

I was interrupting his scouting for eggs. What was I thinking?

The closed eyes is not the worst part. Could the nostrils be any more flared?

Oh, Addyson…thanks for cooperating! Let’s just see if we can get you to smile.

Ummmm, Nope! Losing her. Quick…one more!

Too late. She’s done-zo. I am officially dubbing myself the outtake queen.
Rose at We live in a Zoo (by the way, she does these "and so and so says" things where she posts hilarious things her kids say...super cute) asked me if I was hiding behind my kiddos…and just to prove, that despite appearances, I am most certainly not…here is one of me all by myself. Proudly sporting the tummy I want gone!

Oh, and I didn’t get to participate in Keely’s Sunday hop, but one of her questions was “what color do you wear the most?” I didn’t know the answer until I looked at these pictures again. For me, the question should have been “what shirt do you wear the most?” Apparently this one! Same one I wore in my last pictures. Clearly it’s time to expand my summer wardrobe ;)
Now, head over to The Peanut Gallery…exit here to see some other Moms getting in front of the lens for a change.

In anticipation of my participation in this new and fabulous meme (shhh...don't tell my friend Julie that it is in fact a meme), I had Andy take a few pictures of me with the kids. I'm quickly remembering why I am never on the receiving end of the lens. It's a lot of work if I want to look even remotely presentable. Here are a couple pictures he took...not bad on his part!

First attempt...not half bad. Next let's see if we can all look at the camera.

That would be a "negative ghost rider"...apparently for Colton..."the pattern is full."

Yes, Addyson...what a lovely and natural looking smile you have.

Me with Drew. I am not in many pictures with any of my kids, but far too few with this big guy.

So we did two. I think he is actually pretty photogenic.
So, there you have it. Thanks to Julie, I am gettin' in the picture with my little ones. Surely something that will have me grateful for years and years to come.
Can't wait to see the rest of you with your own precious little people. Just link up when you're done so we can all have a peek ;)

My friend Julie from The Peanut Gallery came up with a fun idea, and a great way to enourage us all to get out from behind the camera and in front of it a bit more...with our kids! I love this seeing as how I definitely need more pictures of me with my little ones. Especially while they are still little. So today, I am showing you all a picture that Andy took. There was a little hand blur going on, so I messed with it a bit, and I happen to like it very much.

This is me with my little guy, Colton. Oh, I love him! He really wasn't trying to avoid my kiss ;)
Your turn. I'm looking forward to seeing more pictures of you moms (and dads!) with your kiddos. Why not start today? Just post a picture of yourself with one of your kids, and link back to Julie at The Peanut Gallery.