A Family Wedding

Ian's sister got married this past weekend in Tucson. It's a mere 800 miles from us. Given that flights are expensive times five, we decided to drive. That long for a quick trip is no easy feat. There was an almost throw up in the car. Several I have to pee NOW's. And more how much longer's than I can count. But we made it. And, as a bonus, we ended up leaving Callum in Los Angeles with my parents on the way down. It sure made the wedding much more enjoyable not having to fight a toddler to sit still. 

Isla brought her fuji instant camera with her and enjoyed playing photographer at the wedding. She made everyone smile when she stopped the actual professional photos to take a picture of her aunt and new uncle. It was a really cute moment. Both Connor and Isla had a blast dancing. Isla was literally on the dance floor the whole time dancing was going on. Connor made friends with some other boys at the wedding, so had fun with them. Even with all the dancing and leaving the wedding at 10pm, neither kid fell asleep on the way back to the hotel. I guess we are well past that phase with them. 

^^ Connor and Isla with their cousin Hadleigh

^^ The wedding was at the sonoran desert museum, which is the cluster of buildings you see in the middle of this picture. 

^^ Look at my sister in law, all happy and in love! Hard to believe I've been with Ian since she was 12.

On a random note, I took their engagement pictures when we visited my sister in law back in June. At the wedding reception, the photographer came up to our table and asked who took the engagement photos. When I said I did, she told me how they are actually legit photos and that I did a great job. She said she often sees cringe worthy photos taken by friends or family of people, but that mine were really good. Obviously she doesn't know the extensive work I do on the daily as a momographer! And since I talked about them, here are a couple of their engagement photos. 

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5th Annual Christmas Card Challenge Winners

You guys, this year was off the hook with Christmas cards! Not to mention, we even got a New Year's card, which I thought was pretty dang fun. A bunch of people sent cards just for the challenge, and I thought that was super duper fun. So, thank you to each and every person that participated. Each and every card we got put a smile on my face. I love seeing families and children growing. I love hearing from friends far away. I love seeing seasoned couples, now empty nesters, with lovey dovey pictures on their cards. I love the handmade. I love the foil overlays. I love the scalloped edges. I just love everything about Christmas cards. We got so many cards, our card holder couldn't handle them all. Now that's a good problem to have! I won't stretch this on though, let's get to the winners! 

First to arrive:

In years past, I've gotten cards before Thanksgiving. I think with Thanksgiving being so early in November this year, it threw everyone off. Christmas card season got off to a late start, but I am thankful to the Powell's for kicking it off. 

Best handwritten note:

Not only was there a handwritten note, there was a beautiful handmade card! Trina always makes everything she touches beautiful and this card was definitely no exception. 

Best photo: 

Funny photos always seem to win around here. This year I couldn't choose just one winner, so I chose two! Let's start with the adorable family on the left. That top right photo did it for me. I got such a kick out of it...maybe it's because she's the same age as Callum, so I GET IT!!! Making it even better, that adorable little girl not wanting to cooperate with pictures is named Holiday. Oh the irony! Then we have the adorable and fun loving family on the right. I would totally steal this photo idea if I wasn't convinced Connor and Isla would probably just throw Callum! 

Best update:

You guys, this beautiful lady was my roommate in college. She is one fun loving and awesome lady. And her update had me laughing and crying. There were stamped body party that I had to guess what they were and who they belonged to (hahaha!) and a very honest and open update that anyone that has endured the beginning of motherhood would understand. 

Best overall:

I'm not going to lie, this is always my favorite category to pick. I lay out all my favorite cards and decide from those. And there are always different reasons for my favorite. It may be a quality card, a unique card, beautiful photos. Just something that makes it stand out. Not only is this family beautiful, but the simplicity and gold foil stamp were beautiful. Not to mention, their envelope was brown and not white, which made it really stand out.


Now for the moment everyone (or maybe just a few people) have been waiting for, the winner of the coffee. Drum roll please...

The very deserving Trina Duncan!!! Let's not forget Kevin, I'm sure he'll enjoy the coffee too. Thanks to everyone who humored me and participated. Until next year folks.

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Three Kids

Three kids bring so much joy, chaos and love into your life. They also bring endless dishes, more fights in the car than I care to admit and a dirty house I never thought possible. Let's not even talk about the car that looks like it should be cleaned out wearing a hazmat suit!

Three kids simultaneously bring together and pulls apart the two parents responsible for them. It brings you together with knowing looks when a kid does something at bedtime...because bedtime with three kids is a lot of work and best to be tackled as a team. It pulls you apart when at least one always ends up in your bed. Then there's the playing you against each other. Who knew it started at such a young age?!

When you have three kids, people stop inviting you places. Three kids is just a lot and seems to be the tipping point. No longer are you invited over for dinner or invited to large gatherings...because everyone is afraid you will show up with your three loud, unpredictable kids. Which is ironic because that is probably the last thing you want to do! People also stop offering to watch your three kids. Because, well, three kids is a lot of chaos and noise. Did I mention the fighting? That is like 93% of the chaos and noise. 

Three kids is also when you have to start lying when you book a hotel room, because most occupancy rates are for four people. It's also when you have to pay out the wazoo for a rental car because good luck getting three car/booster seats across, not to mention trying to fit all that luggage in the trunk of a car!

But here's the thing, even with all the public humiliation (hello tantrums, I'm talking about you!), the lack of help, and the lack of sleep, I wouldn't change a thing. I.wouldn't.change.a.thing. All those kisses and hugs. All the bedtime snuggles. All the cheesy kid jokes. All the times they are actually playing well together make it worth it. Not to mention, I already loathe the day when I have a silent home from everyone being gone. But it won't be silent for long. Because even if my kids choose to have ten kids each, I will be there to help. I will be there to play. I will be there to love.

In the mean time, I hope my three kids remember their childhoods as ones full of laughter, love, hugs and mom reading to them. And maybe, just maybe, also one that taught them some life skills, like how to get along with others in close quarters, how to scrub a toilet, how to do the laundry and how to choose joy.

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A San Francisco Getaway

Ian and I managed to run away for a night this past week. With three kids, that is no small feat. It seriously sometimes feels like moving mountains to arrange leaving three kids for just one stinking night. But it happened and it was totally worth it. We ate our weight in dinner and still managed to stuff in a dessert meant for four. We shopped. I offered to take a tourist's photo, to which Ian told her I was going to steal her phone. We walked up and down huge hills. We stayed at a nice hotel, our 1992 volvo parked with cars that cost the same as houses in Modesto. We took coffee breaks, several in fact. We ate brunch at the tiniest most cramped restaurant ever, but it didn't matter because we didn't have three squirmy kids with us. We explored new places in the city we had never been to. We met the cutest old man coffee roaster. We talked to each other without being interrupted. It was a rather magical 30 hours. 

No matter how many times we go to San Francisco, it never gets old. There is always a new place to explore. Always new places to eat at. Always things to look at, things to do. It's a pretty magical city.

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Christmas

Let's start with christmas eve...that's when this picture was from, after the day was done, the kids were all matching jammied up and ready for bed. But, christmas eve was a full one this year. It started with church in the morning. Then we actually went and got bread from our favorite baker before heading out to Ian's parents to celebrate. Ian's brother and his family were there too. We all had lunch together, then opened presents. We stayed there all afternoon. In the evening, we were planning on taking the kids to the same light show we have for the past three years. But, we got there and it wasn't happening. Kind of sad. There were a bunch of other cars there all confused too. However, I knew of a cool house light show, so we drove to that instead. We watched that for probably 20 minutes (without any of it repeating!?!) before deciding to head home. That night the kids went to bed without a peep. It really was a christmas miracle! But I did tell them they needed to stay in bed and be quiet so I could set everything up. Apparently they listened! 

Christmas morning, everything was all set up and ready to go. I actually gave myself a blood blister trying to put together Callum's scooter. I guess I'm not always the handiest. Like last year, the kids each had different wrapping paper and didn't find out which was theirs until the bottom of their stockings. I asked the kids later what their favorite presents were. Connor said his was a box of jokes, which was in his stocking. Isla's was a fashion designer toy that I purchased on a whim. It ended up being really neat. Callum didn't tell me, but I am pretty sure his favorite were the Paw Patrol books. Paw Patrol is kind of his thing right now...which is sort of funny given we only have netflix and it isn't on there, so he doesn't really get to watch it. 

After all the presents were open, I made us pose for a family picture. In full disclosure, I first tried in front of the christmas tree, but given that the tree blocks our one large window in the living room and we only have one light in the room, it didn't turn out well. Sooo, I drug everyone up to our bedroom where the lighting is excellent. And, I have to say, it was totally worth it! 

The rest of christmas day was spent at home. We made dinner for my parents, my brother and his girlfriend and my aunt and uncle. We kept the fire burning in the fireplace all day. The kids got to play and play and play with their toys. It was a good day. 

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Connor's School Christmas Performance

Let's go back to last week...it seems like weeks ago, but really it was just last week. Connor had his christmas performance at school. Apparently it is a bit of a big deal. They started practicing two months ago. There were speaking parts, but there was a mix up and Connor thought he would have to make up what he was going to say, so didn't apply. But, as luck would have it, he put his name in the hat for the air guitar solo and was chosen.

Connor really wanted a leather jacket for the performance so he could look like a rock star. I found one for him at a thrift store. That statement makes it sound like it was easy to find. I actually checked many a thrift stores and even target for something. It wasn't until a few days before the performance that I came across this one. He liked the jacket way more than I thought he would and has actually worn in a few times since the performance.

At the performance, Connor was so incredibly serious through the whole thing. If you watch the video below, you will get what I am talking about. But when it was time for his air guitar solo, he went to town. It was really cute and fun. I am glad he got the chance to do it.

Also, on a side note. The older the kids are getting, the less and less parents seem to bring big cameras to functions. I was the only person there with a camera. And it was a packed house. Plus I managed to score a front row seat, thanks to Isla who ran in and excitedly grabbed them. Anyway, I had a few parents ask (even ones texting me from farther back!) to take pictures of their kids during the performance...ha, ha! I may get made fun of in jest every once in a while for carrying around my beast of a camera, but it does come in handy.

If you just want to watch the good stuff, fast forward to 51 seconds to see Connor's air guitar solo.

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Our 2017 Family Photos & Christmas Card

The one big thing to me about family photos are the actual family photos. I just can't seem to get all of us in the frame otherwise. Tripod and timers don't work well for us and it doesn't seem often that I remember to have someone snap a photo of the five of us together when we are somewhere. Plus, I feel like I do a good job at getting pictures of the kids on an all the freaking time basis. So really, the pressure is on for a good photo with all of us in it. 

You can't tell by these pictures, but Callum was literally running away from us 90% of the time we were trying to take pictures. On the drive to our photos, I told Ian I knew this year was going to be a hard one photo wise. Last year Callum wasn't walking, this year he is constantly running. And pictures with toddlers are NEVER easy. Let's just say, he didn't underperform. But, our amazing photographer, Leah Galloway, over performed and got so many amazing pictures of the five of us. I was seriously blown away. I already got a bunch of them printed out and in frames in our house. 

Going hand in hand with family photos are christmas cards. For years now, I've been a sucker for the review type card. This year was no different. I am a bit of a card snob and went with Minted for a second year in a row. I got an amazing deal (several stacked discounts for the win) and love their quality. Not to mention, they took a couple days getting them printed, so overnighted them to me at no extra cost...in fact, they informed me of this, I didn't ask for it. Talk about amazing customer service! 

Speaking of christmas cards, I have gotten loads in the mail. A few people have mentioned feeling awkward asking for my address, but it has made me feel so excited over how many people have gone out of their way this year to participate in my christmas card challenge. And the cards this year haven't disappointed. From the scalloped edges, to the foil overlays. From the beautiful handmade, to the funny photo. I've loved them all. So, from the bottom of my heart, thank you to each of you that have sent me a card. It has filled my mailbox and card wall with love this year...but the challenge isn't over until the end of December, so no winner will yet be declared. So for you procrastinators out there, there's still time! 

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