Best Advice Ever

This time of year is always

one of the busiest for me...

Senior pictures, Weddings, and the changing weather always lend themselves to happier thoughts, and people getting their pictures made..

I have been CRAZY busy the last few weeks, and have hardly stopped to remember the important things all around me.

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Night before last I was trying hard to get lots of stuff finished that I needed to upload to the server before midnight...... AND Brady was trying to be SO helpful..

He kept pulling on me and yelling MOM...MOM...

I'd already told him several times to

"hold on just a minute"

THEN WHAM.....

In the back of my mind I remembered one of the best things I have ever heard anyone say...

I'm not positive, but I think it was from Zig Ziglar.

He said people who are playing at home with their family so many times in the back of their mind are thinking of all the work they need to be doing. Mentally making a list of "to-do's" while going through the motions of "playing house."

Then those same people while working are wishing they could spend more quality time with their families...

So when they are working - their minds are at home,

and when they're home their minds are at work..

SO they are never

actually WHERE they are.

He said we should give our ALL to what we are doing,

and to do ONLY ONE THING at a time..

Sooooooooooooooo..

I stopped working and got in the floor and worked puzzles for an hour.

We laughed and read a couple of stories before he was ready to go to bed.

Usually he just wants you to lay him down in his bed at night... He has never been the rocking type, but for some reason he was just laying all over me and grabbing my face so we rocked and both dozed off in the chair.

There are no words to describe the feeling I had as I climbed back up the stairs to finish my work..

I felt completely WHOLE and at such peace.

My mind, and my body

where both in the same place..

I had given my ALL to Brady, and he had given his ALL to me..

What an over the moon feeling

that was I can tell you...

As I sat down at the computer to finish my work I could now give MY ALL to that too.

I was amazed how much quicker I got things finished and how clear my mind was creating.

I can't begin to tell you how many times I wished I would have remembered that advice....

but I can tell you that I am thankful that

at that moment I did.

May be all remember what is truly important,

and keep our minds and bodies IN THE SAME PLACE..

RaChEl

I used to ALWAYS tease Brook and tell her....

"In my next life, I'm going to be 5'7" and have legs up to my chin."

Then, one day she asked me what she was going to be in her next life...

I had to tell her I was only wishing out loud..

These are the only legs I'll ever have........

But.... I found out who got my order... haha

What GREAT fun I had shooting Rachel's pictures..

ALL the while secretly pretending like those were

my legs..sp

spac


May we all have a secret wish we get to live out in PRETEND..
(I wore high heels and red dress. )

Nail-biting Baseball

WELL.. For those of you who don't know yet...

Brent has decided not to continue on

with College baseball.

Deep down I think after winning

a STATE Championship

everything else was just second place.

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SO... he is leaving his scholarship(little scary for me)

in pursuit of a dream to play College Football.

I have vowed to be in support of whatever dreams he feels he must follow.

I told him when you get my age...

Your biggest regrets are not the things you did and messed up,

but the things you didn't try that haunt you.

With that said...

I had kind of told myself I didn't care to ever see another HIGH school baseball game.

Something about Brent not being there, and knowing he probably was not ever going to be back just took the fun out of it...

But... I swallowed my intentions and Friday night....

I went to see Brook's boyfriend, Brandon,

play Varsity baseball for their school

Southwest High School.

And what a game it was ...

Brandon's brother, Jonathan (a senior), hit a 2 run homer in the 7th to win the game.

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I'm sorry, but no matter who you are or who you're watching...

That is just awesome to see..

There aren't many things in life better than a GREAT baseball game.

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And I can't think of many feelings that compare to rounding third knowing that all your teammates are waiting for you at home plate because you

just won the ball game..
I've never in all my life experienced that feeling, but I've seen it happen several times....

And if it's half as much fun as it is to watch....

Then it's got to leave you breathless..

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So..... Thank you Brandon for inviting me and most of all for reminding me that a good baseball game is just DARN good no matter if your son is playing or not.

Brandon hit his homerun in Tuesday's game.. Even though Friday was not his night for crushing one over the fence... I enjoyed every minute of it...

How incredibly wonderful would it be to play Varsity ball with your brother who just won the game... Now that's what I call a good night at the ballpark..

May we all have a moment in our lives where we get to experience the THRILL of Victory...

Snyder Seniors

I was back in Snyder last week to shoot some of my

favorite Senior gals..

One I've known from the moment she was born, one since she was 3 and going to daycare with my kids, and the other since she was in my first grade play at NORTHEAST elementary...

Thank you girls for a wonderful time...

You made me giggle and smile.

Here are a few samples.

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I must say....

Shooting Seniors is one of my all time, very favorite, funnest ever things to do... It's the one time when you can be sexy, funny, fabulous, and cool at the same time.
They are always willing to put their arms, legs, and bodies in some of the most uncomfortable positions for the sake of "the shot". Everyone wants a day when they look unbelievably awesome... And Senior PICTURES should be one of those days....

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I still have such wonderful friends, and people I will always cherish in good ole' WEST TEXAS..

Thank you to my precious "little German" for always letting me stay with you and filling me full of stories and coffee. Thanks Carrie for always letting us barge in to see what wonderful new things you have bought since I was last at your house. It's always like a store.. LOVE IT...

Thank you to sweet Jan for always, always showing me kindness... AND for the wonderful meal you fixed me in between my shoots. Something about food all done up pretty... served on fun and fabulous dishes makes it taste more yummy....

AND thank you to amazing KIM who always fits me into her "hair-doing" schedule. Most always on her day off too... My roots where just over the edge of YUCK and only you know how to FIX messy hair for me...

My days in Snyder are fewer and farther between...

But the people there are with me in my forever twirling mind..

I miss you........

May we all have friends so wonderful that distance doesn't effect you.

Prom Princess

Yes.... IT is 4 am. and I am still up...

What a long day this has been.

We started at noon on the hair, nails, make-up and all the rest of the prom "to do's"

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I did my "old woman" speech about how

(back in the day)

when we went to prom

there were no limos, nails, hair at salons,

or for sure no one we paid to apply our make-up..

And I think we had a good time...

However, I truly can not remember.. haha

I must admit though that she looked like a princess.

Her dress fit her like a Barbie, and we did have a fun time shopping for all the

jewelry, the perfect dress, the right hair-do, and of course.....

the most important of all

the perfect shoes...

Her date is a good friend from school. What a fine gentleman he was too. Came to the door and promised to take good care of her and bring her home safely after the Mirage Party. The school throws an all night party for those who attended the prom with games, prizes (I think) and the one they were most excited about ....

The Laser Tag games...

You have to be a Senior or be invited by a Senior to go since their school is so big.

So Brook was thrilled to go and of course she is always ready for a fun time.

As they drove away.... I must say I did have a little lump in my throat.
I still can not believe my little girl is old enough to grow up.

Her brother informed me that there was nothing I could do about it so I should just smile and get over it... I must say that's pretty good advice coming from a 19 year old.

The other brother however is with me...

We'd just like her to stay home and play...

I think he makes a fine date.... diaper and all.

May we never pass up a chance to get all dolled up and look fabulous..

Think I might just do it sometime soon even if I have

NO WHERE to go..

I've always got a date with a fine, diaper wearin man...

Simple Pleasures

I wrote on my other BLOG yesterday about how the fear of failure often keeps us from attempting greatness. AND how watching Little Brady has taught me to let go and give it all at least a try.. Seeing his BIG brown eyes filled with wonder has truly given me an entire new perspective about what living is really about.

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He looks at everything "as an adventure to be conquered." And let me tell you.... he does try and conquer it all. haha Including.... the adventure of the EASTER EGG. My mom and step dad came down for Easter on Sunday afternoon. None of us were really too sure if Brady would understand about finding the eggs or even if he'd care enough to want to. He often has an agenda all his own and doesn't like to be bothered...

WELL..... I can tell you

When Grandi showed up with this basket of fabulousness he was ready for whatever agenda she had in mind.. Especially when he found out that Easter baskets contain M&M's.. He'd never had them before, but man how he loved them.

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The Egg HUNT was all it was supposed to be.. He had the best, amazingly adventuresome time. We all laughed as we watched him run from place to place throwing (literally) his eggs in the basket on his way to the next one. He didn't even care that nothing was in his eggs.. It was the thrill of the chase.. Now if that's not a simple pleasure then I can't think of much any cheaper.
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AND....Even when the game is over... There is always a way to find some joy...

If you ever want to step back and realize it's not WHAT we do that counts, but enjoying HOW we do it........ then look at those big ole' eyes and you can't help but see....

Everyday contains an adventure, and something to be grateful for..

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May we all have someone to love, fill our lives with adventure, and hopefully bring M&M's.

New customer = NEW friends

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What fun my job is....

I truly am so thankful that I get to do something for a living that I love so much.

I had a Senior shoot this weekend with a fun, fabulous, friendly, precious girl.

Her mother and I had as much fun as she did just watching her look beautiful.

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I took soooooooooooooo many pictures...

I got totally carried away having fun myself

and became quite the overshooter.. haha

We literally finished minutes before the raindrops began to fall.

But what incredible images we got before the sky had it's turn at beautiful.

Here are a couple of samples

of what an amazing time we had...

May we all have a day where we just

look delicious

and have someone there to get a picture to prove it.

Party Pals

Ok.... The party was fun fun fun....

He didn't have a clue either.

He thought my neighbors were having a party until he walked in the door.

So much fun....

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Of course I didn't get all the zillion little jobs I wanted to finish done...

But....... I did get about a jilllion done.

I got my plants that had been in the garage awaiting their new home in the dirt all planted.

Got my front porch all sweet and welcomey... hee hee

And I have to say.... I invented my

(to this moment)

new all-time favorite thing.

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I painted my YUCK (for free) table I found on the side of the road the greatest old shade of

turquoise and beat up rust

to match my neighbor's chair

(that I am so going to buy from him).....

But MY FAVORITE THING....

I painted my yard snail turquoise and made

DUH ta DUH...

a fun, happy, fabulously

whimsical mushroom !!!!!

out of some old round rock that my dear friend and I bought at a garage sale years ago.

I always knew I'd use them someday for something fabulous..

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I'm sure you are not nearly as excited as I am....

But I've gotta say I smile every time I look at it, and giggle whenever I walk in my front door.

YIPPEE

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I also finally got our picture matted and framed (garage sale frame) to hang on the stair wall.

Then I found while I was cleaning

one of my (old favorite things)

our kiss me frog picture ..

that Brook and I painted together

about 7 years ago..

I remember like it was yesterday us painting it

and her telling me I was too old to like frogs. haha

I still love that picture

and it made me smile all over again.

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Then I went to Garden Ridge and found the most wonderful LAUGH sign in the greatest colors to hang above it... I must say I don't buy NEW stuff very much... But I loved it way way way much.... And I knew it fit our house and our wall way too good to continue to sit on an old store shelf..


The center-piece was pretty cute.

I used Little Brady's cowboy hat, spurs and rope he was given when he was born to go with he and Papa's picture on the pony..
But......... my cake was I must say another story. haha
A cake decorator I am not....
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It was kind of supposed to be a cowboy hat..
But sort of turned out to be a chocolate blob.. hee hee
It tasted good though and really....... no one cared..

(or realized what it was really supposed to be)

Brady thought they were all singing to him..
He looked at Papa as if to say

(thanks for coming to MY party).....
Now that just makes most anyone smile....
We should all throw more parties, have more family and friends over, and enjoy chocolate blobs. ha

Curtains, Paint and Pictures OH MY

We are having a surprise Birthday party for Brad's daddy here on FRIDAY.

So if you know him and are reading this..... Don't tell him. haha

He will be 70 years old.. Brad was so excited when he asked if I cared if we had a party here.

He was so cute telling me that 70 was a milestone. haha

OF course I didn't care... I always love any reason to have a party.

But you get to looking around your house at all the stuff that your gonna get around too and WHAM it's a lot. ha I've been meaning to make some curtains to go on the stair landing windows for ummmmmmmmmm about 2 years now. It's so high and I just never got around to climbing up there to measure them... But... my mother would be proud. I actually did climb up there and measure instead of eyeballing it like I usually would have. I didn't measure twice and cut once.... But I did measure once and cut twice. AND I must say they look pretty darn good. I'll show you the finished thing tomorrow.

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Then I've had a wall that needed something on it, and had a picture that I've had half painted on for months now. It started out a floral.... then somewhere in mid stream I changed my mind. So now it's a woman dreaming of floral. haha Or as my dad called it " Some modern art that you can just see anything you want in it." ( that was his description to a friend on the phone of what I was doing ) You gotta laugh at that cause it's kinda true. ha

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Now tomorrow I've got a list of a zillion, jillion little other things I've got to get done. But both girls will be here tomorrow afternoon (Brenae and Brook) so they can play with Brady and I can get so much more done. He is so helpful I must say... That sewing machine pedal was just too much fun to resist.... and the paint... well even I can't resist that. ha May we all get something finished that we've been putting off for a while, and have a fun time doing it too...

Different Kind of Dad

From the moment we knew Little Brady was going to be a part of our world, he has changed it forever. But no one has changed more so than my daddy. I remember so clearly the day I told him I was pregnant. And from that day forward he proceeded to stop drinking. He told me that another grandchild would not grow up to know that he was a drunk. I'm not exactly sure why things happen the way they do, but I now understand more clearly than ever that God sees our bigger picture.

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If you would have told me three years ago that the man I always knew as my dad would end up being the man I now know as my "daddy", I would have thought I was only dreaming. But I can say without a doubt that it is never too late to change. And it doesn't matter that I am 42 years old. A girl always needs a daddy. I've never been an alcoholic, and can only imagine how hard it is to quit something that has been a part of your life more of your years than not. But, I know it can be done. Dad and I both say a prayer every day that the battle becomes less and less a part of his life, and the strength becomes greater and greater.

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Daddy has been here all weekend. He came to see the "little man" that he says caused him to be "a real man". I just can't seem to find the words tonight that can express the precious thoughts I have when I think of how far our journey has taken us. My daddy has become my friend. He is the grandpa my children always needed, and a man I always knew he was. I am proud to be a part of his life, and I am so thankful that Brady is a part of his. When the day is done, all we have left when we close our eyes are pictures and memories. AND I can say that I have both. My daddy took Brady and I on a date to Chuck E Cheese. WE spent 2 hours laughing and watching Brady's first experience with a room full of wonder. My eyes filled with tears when we left as Daddy hugged me and said " that was more fun than any bar I've ever been in." May we all realize that it's never too late to change. Tomorrow could very well be the first day of the rest of your life.

What's under the Mask

My Little Girl will be turning 16 in 36 more days.

I can hardly believe so many years have gone by.

Poor child has honestly never gotten to have a big "friends" birthday party.

We always had small family ones, but somehow that's just not the same.

Her birthday was always right smack in the middle of baseball playoffs.

So.... now that Brent is through with high school baseball.........

It's her turn!!!!

And I must say..... What perfect timing.

Needless to say, we are going all out

to have a

Sweet Sixteen Masquerade Ball.

She and one of her friends (whose birthday is 3 days before)

are having a joint party .

Ashley's mom took them to the costume store, and they rented dresses for the invitations. I took their pictures Monday and we designed their cards to mail out.

What fun we are all ready to have...

May we never be too old to enjoy a party!!!!