Recharge ~ Best Shot Monday

We said goodbye to our visitors and basically spent the rest of the weekend just recharging and gearing up for the week. And the weather was so very cooperative. It was mid-80s, sunny, just perfect.

So while we were very productive and got all the little stuff done like laundry, picking up dry cleaning, grocery shopping, and returning library books; we also got a lot of time to do stuff like hangin’ in the hammock…

Hammock hangin'

And hunting for our friendly avocado tree dweller…

Squirrel hunting

Ah! I think J. and Em found him…

Did you see those squirrels?

He provided us with about 30 minutes of entertainment…

Nutty buddy

It was such a lovely day.

Lazy Saturdays

Stop by Tracey’s for more BSMs today.

Addie-tude ~ Best Shot Monday

I know someday her iron will, independent spirit and stubborn streak is going to serve her well. And, yes, I do want her to grow into a strong and liberated young woman…

Ad-D-kins

But, whew boy!

If I hear “I wanted to do it, Mama!” one more time before she dissolves into yet another fit of tears…I may just throw myself off of the top of that jungle gym!  (AND, she is now big enough to open the car door from the outside by herself. How on earth did that happen?)

I mean, just look at this Addie-tude! I think this photo pretty much says it all. She is a 3-year old girl on a mission!

Addie-tude

And I wouldn’t change one tiny piece of her for anything.
Find more photos that say it all over at Tracey’s new spot today.

How do we get the candy? ~ Best Shot Monday

Technically, this was a horrible shot. That was indeed a very plaid sofa behind the girls. So I tried to tone down the colors by editing the photo and making it black & white. Plus the lighting wasn’t so great and it was what I imagine it would be like to be a member of the paparazzi at a Hollywood movie premier, with about ten moms and dads jockeying for position, trying to take photos, flashes going off left and right.

But all of that aside, I cannot stop looking at this photo and just smiling. My two princesses, (it was a Princess-themed birthday party for Addie’s little friend) anxiously waiting for someone to just bust open that pinata!

Such concentration and seriousness! How can it not be my Best Shot Monday for today?

Pinata Watching

Brought to You by Emma and the Letter “S” ~ Best Shot Monday

It is nearly impossible to get a good photo of Em lately. She sees the camera and she thinks she has to strike a pose.

I get a lot of Silly Emmy….

sassy emmy

Or if I can sneak a shot of her when she doesn’t know I’m shooting, I get some Serious Emmy

serious emmy

Oh hey, there’s the camera! And this would be Sassy Emmy

silly emmy

But maybe every one out of 100 photos, we get to see our Sweet, Sweet Emmy

sweet emmy

…and my favorite shot of the week.

Go on over to Tracey’s for more sweet shots today!

Brought to You by Emma and the Letter “S” ~ Best Shot Monday

It is nearly impossible to get a good photo of Em lately. She sees the camera and she thinks she has to strike a pose.

I get a lot of Silly Emmy….

sassy emmy

Or if I can sneak a shot of her when she doesn’t know I’m shooting, I get some Serious Emmy

serious emmy

Oh hey, there’s the camera! And this would be Sassy Emmy

silly emmy

But maybe every one out of 100 photos, we get to see our Sweet, Sweet Emmy

sweet emmy

…and my favorite shot of the week.

Go on over to Tracey’s for more sweet shots today!

New Resolutions & A Best Shot Monday

So….Hi! And Happy New Year! And all that other stuff.

I know it has been awhile and I have had very good intentions to write about all of the holiday fun we have had over the past few weeks. I’ve got photos from our Nutcracker date, Christmas Eve, THE pageant, Christmas morning, our vacation to Michigan – all waiting to be edited and posted.

And I also had planned a 2008 year-end review, it was kind of a happening year! We traveled to some fun places. I ran my first and second triathalons.  Em had a milestone birthday, Addie turned “free!” and both of them had first days of school.

As far as my resolutions from last year…well, some of them got crossed off, and a few are just perpetually going to be on my list.

But as I have had a few days to reflect on everything – I have decided that my biggest “to do” for 2009 is to just be a little nicer to myself.

Give myself a break.

I need to realize that (on the inside and out) I’m a pretty good person, and I deserve a little break once in awhile. I deserve to do stuff because I want to, not because I feel like I have to. I deserve to stop obsessing over things I cannot change and help shape the lives of those I can help change. (Including these five little miracles – Em, Ad and their three cousins!)

allofkids.jpg

And most of all, I deserve owe it to myself to step away from the computer so that I don’t miss amazing moments like this – my Best Shot for this first Monday of 2009!

allkids_2.jpg

I’m going to print this and put it in as many rooms of my house as I can as a constant reminder. I’m living for moments like these not to make other people happy, but to make myself happy.