mini session peeks!

I am FINALLY finished with my mini sessions! My kids are so excited to have their mommy back...and to tell you the truth, i am super excited to get my house clean again! It is disturbingly gross...please no visitors for a day or two! :) here are a few of my favs! if you don't see your session here, don't panic, i will do another post soon!

good thing...

good thing he is irresistibly cute, cause he's a stinker! apparently he thinks sleep is for wimps!
how can you get mad at a face like this? you can't.

11 years...

today paul and i have been married for 11 years! time goes by waaay too fast! i bet his parents never thought 11 years ago that they would have so many grandbabies! we spent a fun afternoon with the cousins and somehow managed to get a picture of all the littles! our "bigger" cousin Tanner was home sick with the flu...maybe we can photoshop him in!!! :)

   in case you were wondering....this was not an easy task, (just ask teresa!)  after 10 minutes of yelling at them ...this is as good as it gets folks!

many of you know this AMAZING family. I was honored when she asked me if i would take her family pictures before she started her chemo. I think of her often throughout the day. I catch myself feeling tired and complaining about being tired and sleep deprived...then i read her cute blog and see how strong she remains while not only being tired from her everyday dealings from being a mommy of 4, but tired and feeling yucky from fighting this hard fight against breast cancer. She is such an incredible example of faith....check out her blog if you want to be inspired too. (i think i cry every time i read it)  Desirae, you have SO many people rooting for you and your adorable little family!
www.markanddes.blogspot.com

the beast is out of his cage!

gulp...yup, i HAD to do it. He is a big boy now, and whether i like it or not, it is time for the crib to be passed onto baby brother! Oh, how i will miss being able to cage this boy in when i need to!
He is upstairs  right now taking his first nap in his new "ba ba bed" (big boy bed.) i use the word "napping" lightly, cause in all reality he is up there jumping up and down, climbing on and off the bed. i think he likes it!  thanks evan and allison for passing this great new bed onto us! i am just not sure i am ready for him to be such a big boy yet!

                                                            *pretending to be asleep*

sometimes.

sometimes i feel picked on. yes, i know i might sound like a brat, but i do. but then, i look at the fun we have as a family and i feel blessed. nothing extravagant, just being together...making memories.

                                                           {the cooolest lake ever!}
                            this mama even jumped off the cliff... that was the easy part...pulling myself up onto the doc afterwards????  not so much. paul said I looked like a "beach angel." thanks hun. :)

a little "carnivaling" was done a couple of weeks ago.

and last...a trip to our BEAUTIFUL mountains!

we even saw a moose!

sometimes....i am soooo grateful.