Ok ok, I know my blog has been badly neglected, forgotten, put on the back burner or what have you…. But I knew it was REALLY bad when I went to log in to post a new message and I couldn’t remember how to post, or even where to log in at!!! LOL!!! Yes that bad…..

Soooo what has been going on around here?? Besides three busy busy kiddos and me just TRYING to keep up with them, not too much going on!!! Seriously…. The day starts I have BIG plans and bam it’s over… Craziness…… Doesn’t the world know that I have too much stuff to do and 24 hours clearly is NOT enough??? hmmmm Gotta work on that one I guess…

Christian is 6 years old now, as of July, and he started First  grade this year!!!!!!!! He is in a small class of 7 other ASD boys and they have a “home base” where they can go to take a sensory break, have a snack or just decompress in general.  Otherwise he stays in a regular gen. ed. class with NO para pro!!!!  This kid has made LEAPS and bounds this year and blows my mind every day with everything he accomplishes… This is the same kid who barely made it until 10:30AM in Kindergarten last year… We now drop him off at 8:45AM and pick him up at 3:40PM!!!!! And I no longer sit by the phone with my tummy in knots waiting for THAT phone call.. Nope….. His teachers are so in tune to his needs, it’s truly amazing!!!! They are getting to know him and learn (or try to) learn what makes him tick (good luck with that!! LOL).  Last year he was constantly in trouble… this year he is constantly supported, and feels same and competent… The difference is AMAZING!!!!!! Last year ADHD meds were pushed, this year there has been no mention of such things since many Asperger children can display ADHD type symptoms (Among SO many others) when they are stressed over overwhelmed, or scared…. Last year Christian would be in tears and yell “I hate school” over and over again every single day… This year I rarely will hear this… Usually only when he’s trying to get one over on mommy…. His confidence while at school is growing day by day.. it’s incredible.  He’s still the same Solar System obsessed little guy that talks like a 50 some year old professor.. But of course we wouldn’t change that for the world.  Christian is who he is supposed to be!!! God molded my little guy into just who he was destined to be, i’m the lucky one that got chosen to be he mommy.

Ava is 4 1/2 now and attending PreK. She goes on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9-11:30AM…. She is busy busy busy…. And sooooo outgoing!! She loves Arts and Crafts and anything that bugs her brother and sister!! She makes me so crazy some days but when she’s not around it’s eerily quiet and I miss that little stinker!!!! She is quite the cuddler and will love up to anyone who gives her the time or day…. She’s obsessed with “goodie bags” ya know the little bags full of cheapo odds and ends from Birthday parties or whatnot??? Yes…. Give her a goodie bag and she’s yours for life… My mom now makes random goodie bags from things around her house… Pencils, erasers, bouncy balls, candy, anything… Put it in a cute little bag and she’s yours for life!!! She loves to be on the go, loves when my mom or Leah come and pick her up to run errands or just hang out!! She’s truly a busy little bee….

Madilynn….. My tiny baby… Not so tiny anymore.. She’s going to be 2 in JUST over a month or so… And yes I am TOTALLY in denial.  :( This little girl who is most likely my last is growing WAY too fast!!! The stuff she says everyday is amazing….. seriously…. the kid talks in sentences, like for real sentences… She’s a baby… SHEESH!!! She’s SO funny though, a little comedian, her expressions, behavior all of it.. Unless she’s screaming… which she does ALLOT of that now. She’s got quite the temper… She keeps me busy everyday as she loves to go give the cats their food which normally involves dumping their food bowl, into the water bowl, and or litter box… LOL. Nice…. She will wait until I forget to put the baby gate up that one time, and will shimmy on in before I know it… Stinker…. She also loves to load the dishwasher with all sorts of non dishwasher items….. LOVES to reorganize Laundry after I fold it and put it away…. nice… Such a good little helper!!

I’m really really going to try and get my photography biz up and running at least part time soon!! Very soon!! Appointments will be VERY limited as I have to work around my kiddos and they keep me busy very very busy!! LOL!!!!! My whole reasoning for going to the business side with my photography would be to pull in somewhat of an income but still strictly be a stay at home mom. That’s the most important place for me to be right now.  My kids are very high maintenance and need a round the clock mommy.

So in closing… Let’s hope I get back to this blog more often!!! You know like at least every couple days instead of every couple years… LOL!!!!!!!

I was recently on the search for a new bracelet maker…. Yes my spoiled rotten little girls even getting matching bracelets.  Anyways I was sent in the direction of Etsy.  Now I have never really ventured over to Etsy.  I know what it’s about, I know how many talented people are over there and I also know MY weaknesses…. You know, my weaknesses involving SHOPPING!?!?!?! LOL Oh and let me tell you, after adding another girl to the clan it’s gotten that much worse. You see now it’s DOUBLE everything… Oh yes, it’s a slippery slope…. It’s my vice I tell ya… I don’t drink,smoke, or do drugs. BUT I buy ALLOT of purty things!!! :P 

Anyways….. SO I found a bracelet maker…. she had JUST what I wanted and was SOOOOOO easy to work with! I offered to send her pics of the girlies with HER items so that she’d have access to some fresh images and whatnot.  Well she sent some SUPER fun customs for the girls to model.  Her name is Cynthia and she is AMAZINGLY talented!!!! If she doesn’t have what you are looking for i’m betting you she can make it!!! She’s SUPER duper nice and a breeze to work with!!! Go check her out!!! Really you won’t be sorry!! Her prices are excellent as well!!!

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5255578

I got ONE princess down and one to go!!! I promise to have Ava’s photo shoot done and up soon soon!!!! The one with the opinion is so much harder to work with sigh… LOL

BUT here’s my Madilynn in her ADORABLE custom punk tutu set from Cynthia’s Pampered Little Princess Boutique at Etsy!!! Hurry up and check her out!! She’s closing for summer to move at the end of MAY!!!

So I had the pleasure of assisting my best friend and AWESOME Photographer, Dawn of Dawn Marie’s Photography, as a second shooter for a charity event.  This event took place last Sunday and was put on by Salon Bien.  The proceeds went 100% to a child abuse and neglect call in center.  It was such an awesome event! And such a privilege to shoot besides such a fantastic photographer as Dawn! 

We started out at the Salon where we just did some behind the scenes type shots and Dawn did some headshots for the salon owner Carrie.  Then it was off the the purple moon nightclub where the real fun began! This is where to hair show took place and all the models hit the runway! There was a silent auction as well with a ton of great prizes!!! All in all the night was a complete success!!! 

I got the chance between the salon and the nightclub to have a little fun outside with Magen! The hair show was covering the Era of hair and she had fun 80’s hair a bright make up to match!!! What a great model she is!!!!! All I had to do was snap the camera and let her do her own thing, and boy did she!!!!!  She’s the type of girl that you would love to hate because she is flawlessly gorgeous (After two babies mind you!!!), but she’s way to sweet and kind to hate!!! Really this girl has beauty and brains!!!!! Thank you  Magen for posing your little heart out for me! :) 

I’ll post some of the actual hair show in the next few days… Sorry I haven’t had anything fresh on the blog in forever…. LIFE has been happening what can I say!?!?!

You know with the warm weather approaching I know that many weddings, proms and senior shoots will be coming up….. Well I have a new service to announce.  This service I will be offering is cutting edge and at the TOP of it’s class.  Christian and Ava are now doing on location make up and styling…. Very reasonably prices I may add…. I agreed to let them test there skills on me on Sunday evening….. I tell you i’ve never felt better about my look before…. How do you think they did????????  LOL 

I cannot believe that tomorrow is officially the first day of spring!!!!! I’m so ready! But we already knew that huh?? LOL. I can’t wait for my little ones to be able to play and run around outside instead of being cooped up in the house!!! It will be good for all of us!!! 

This week i’ve been messing around with studio lights and trying to learn strobes and such. Very intimidating for this ALL natural light girl!! I figure HELLO I live in Michigan, it’s nasty almost 7 months out of the year I need some options!! Wish me luck! This studio light stuff seems way over my head!!! Hopefully i’ll have some examples to share VERY soon!!!

The only thing that is holding me back from REALLY officially starting my Biz is ME….. isn’t that sad??? Me????? I know my camera inside and out, I know how to shoot in manual and Raw, I know how to process my images…. I know all the mechanics of this “hobby” of mine. So WHY am I so scared to take shots for other people??? I don’t know all the real reasons why. But I do know they come down to ME and my own insecurities. I worry that this art that I LOVE that I pour myself into won’t be viewed the same as I see it???? What if they can’t SEE my vision??? How do I make them feel what I feel?? Will I make myself look foolish? Silly? Talentless??? I’m so scared!!!! You see I have zero confidence in myself…. How can I convince people to pay me to create something beautiful for them when I don’t know if i’m worth it myself???

I’ve taken some positive steps this New Year though….. I’m legal now, got my EIN number and my Michigan Sales Tax License. So THAT’S not holding me back anymore, one less excuse!! LOL!!! And i’m working on ME! Trying to get myself healthy and in shape so that maybe my vision of myself won’t be so terrible! I’m so good at being a mommy to Christian , Ava and Madilynn but I want to be known for being more then a mommy. I’m really really going to push myself this year to REALLY start portfolio building. No i’m not ready to fully be in the biz anyways, there’s just not enough of ME to go around. First and foremost are my kids…. I will really get more aggressive once the girls are BOTH in school so that I have the time to devote to this business. So for now I can slowly build my business and my skills and gain some confidence as I go as well!!!!

So i’m giving myself my own KICK in the butt this year!!!! And of course I must share a few pictures of my most favorite models!!

This is my nephew Tyler……. Please say a prayer for this little dude!!!!!! He can use all that he can get… He’s in a horrible living situation that he does not deserve…..

On a positive note, here’s miss Mad mad going to grammie’s without me for the FIRST time!! What a big girl huh???

It seems like it’s been FOREVER since i’ve actually gotten myself and the kiddos outside to actually shoot some fun outside stuff!!! Don’t get me wrong I still anticipate the first winter’s snow like a little child, with my nose pressed up against the glass window pane but now i’m OVER it!!! LOL!!! Yep i’m DONE with the white stuff!!!  And this weeks weather has been playing mean cruel jokes on this girl who’s SO ready for spring!!! All this week it’s been FREEEEZING and snowy in the morning but by afternoon it’s been  SUPER sunny and gorgeous out, but guess what!?!?!?! It’s still only been like 20 degrees!! Oh Michigan weather, why oh why do you toy with my heart so?? I know it will be over soon enough and all this snow will be a distant memory, but boy do I have spring fever!!! I’ve had nothing new to work on lately so i’ve been spending my time processing old pictures, making papers and templates and trying to learn new things as much as possible!! We’ve been so sick this winter too, one thing after the other. Nonstop colds and coughing, stomach flu has  gone through here twice, yep i’m so over it!! I want my healthy kiddos back!! Christian has missed so many days of Kindy…. We’re all ready for the big weather break!! 

Here’s some fun pictures from LAST spring when me and my buddy Dawn, of www.dawnmariesphotography.com, went out and spent and afternoon at the apple orchard just in time to enjoy the gorgeous apple blossoms!! We had so much fun and got some adorable shots of our kiddos as well! We plan on heading out there again this year! Enjoy!

Has anyone EVER wondered why I never have pictures of myself WITH my kiddos????? Well there’s a very good reason. Because it clearly doesn’t work!!! LOL!!! I have to pretty much put a choke hold on Christian to get him to stay, Ava and Madi won’t stop fighting…. and well it just isn’t pretty!!! Here’s the best of the bunch of “out takes” from some snaps done on my birthday! nice huh?? LOL.

Around here SOMEONE always has a messy face…….. I knew I would have no problem finding an entry or 10 for this weeks contest!!!  I’m sure there will be some HILARIOUS entries at http://iheartfaces.blogspot.com Go check em out!!!

First for my Kid Entry I had to choose one from Madi’s latest cake smash session!!! It was too funny!!! And you know how she is with those crazy expressions and eyebrows!! She’s nuts!!! Next for my adult entry I had to use my FOURTH child whom I lovingly call my husband!!! LOL!!! This is what he did on my birthday!!! He got a little bit TOOOO into the blue frosting on the ice cream cake!! Isn’t he a hoot???

So just when you thought I fell off the face blog planet here I am!!! I could NOT resist this weeks category for B&W for both kids and adults.  I LOVE the moodiness and emotion that is depicted in a b&w conversion!!!! Somehow removing all that color exposes SO much more…….It almost makes the image more real, raw, in the moment if that makes sense!? I have so many b&w images so I dug through some files and found a couple that jumped out at me for one reason or another!!!

Make sure the check out all the other faces for this week!!!!
http://www.iheartfaces.blogspot.com/

My Kids Category entry is a shot of Madilynn Grace taken last summer!! She’s just LOVING life!!! She’s such a happy carefree baby!! I can’t get enough of her contagious smile in this shot!!!

And for my adult category entry I chose this conversion taken of my mother, simply LOVING on one of her grandbabies! Nothing makes her happier then moments like this! And I really think you can FEEL her love and happiness in this capture! What do you think?