embrace the camera: jan 6

a special moment playing with my mason after a day full of teaching...
...he is becoming quite the playful little boy :)
love.him.longtime.

xoxo

things just change...

...when you become a momma!!!! :)

normally husband and i would be spending nye with friends havin' some delicious wines, champagne, and beers ...maybe too many drinks, :) going somewhere for 'after hours', and staying up waaaay too late. but like i said...when you become a momma things change.

instead of 'going out' we stayed in a had some yummy drinks with husband, my 3 sisters, and their husband/boyfriend.
{dang..no snappys of that}

instead of 'going out' we had a fancy pedicure party.
{btw this stuff works...really, really good, its for fast drying nail polish}

instead of 'going out' we played salon and did hair.

instead of 'going out' and staying up too late, we were in bed by midnight or there after....ya know babies like to get up at 5:30 or earlier :)

instead of 'going out' we happily watched babies play :)

instead of 'going out' and getting a sitter to watch the babies, we let them snuggle in bed and watch movies!!!

instead of 'going out' we played the Wii....who knew a 2yr old could be soooo good?!?!!!

though we didn't have our 'usual' nye outings....we enjoyed spending time with little maseypoo and family. i wouldn't trade this mommy-hood gig for anything!!!! :)

hope you had a blessed 2010 and CHEERS to 2011!!!!!! :)

xoxo

embrace the camera: dec 30

this weeks embrace the camera is from christmas a few days ago....

over christmas break we didn't get any snow so i'm bummed i don't have fun sledding pictures to show. not much to do outside when it is just down right cold!! but tonight it is supposed to snow sooooo HOPEFULLY next week i'll have some sledding snappies :)

our first christmas as a family :)
all of the cousins together
mason's 2nd favorite present: fishing pole
daddy's favorite present: fishing pole for mase :)
mason's favorite present: baby einstein exersaucer (sp)

at the in-laws, we fondue lots of yummy stuff for our meal
chicken, deer, mozzarella sticks, raviolis, jalapeno peppers, tater tots, mushrooms, shrimp, you name it, we fondue it! :)
m.i.l had to get this snappy, out little christmas tree :)

no go link up to the anderson crew and embrace the camera!!!!! :)

enjoying....

...enjoying...
the lights twinkling at our house :) ....

{for this picture i set my lens to manual focus and blurred it to my desired effect, oh so pretty :)}
{oh, forgot to tell you....santa brought me a cannon t2i slr camera!...i have sooo much to learn but am excited about the adventure!}
can you see the hearts??? if you use your imagination you can :)
i made a heart filter-
basically i used a piece of black construction paper,
traced around my camera lens then cut out,
cut out a heart shape in the middle,
then taped the paper to the end of my lens,
then voila!!
you have heart lights :)

so go put your lens on manual focus to play with the blurr effect and
hurry go take pictures of the lights before you take the christmas tree down!!!
i think it would look saaaweet too with a star or even snowflake cut out.
ready.set.go!
p.s. if you end up doing this...leave a comment and link to your pictures....
...i wanna see your b-e-a-utiful snappies!!!!! :)

...enjoying...
being home over christmas break with husband :) yay! it's been soooo relaxing and fun!
husband with all his chest hair glory...bahaha

...enjoying...
playing, loving, cuddling with mason for 12 whole days!!!
he was starting to get tiiiiired right bout....NOW!
still tired mom. quit taking pictures and get me out of here!
ok mom. seriously, i've had enough!!!

i'm sure all mothers are bias of their offspring....but....seriously could he get any cuter???
i.think.not. :)

...not enjoying...
our little guy has a cold now too. i know this is VERY minor to many health issues, but it sure makes for loooong days when your babe is a crabby-abby. it's hard for him to breath through his nose because he's congested and it scares him when he can't breath :(
anyways, i pray he gets better sooooon :) i would love to have my bubbly, happy, cooing, laughing baby back :)

xoxo

family christmas...

we are so blessed.

our christmas table set for christmas eve dinner

this wine cover is actually a ugly sweater sleeve cut and sewn on the bottom so that the wine bottle doesn't fall out! super easy and super cute...especially if you want to give a host a little gift.
sorry too lazy to rotate the picture...use your imagination please! :)

grammy and little keither

most beautiful younger sista eva!!!!

da boys on a hand-me-down horsey

baby mason's first christmas.....he loved it!!

most beautiful oldest sista! and her boys

manda and her bf

chowing down on some cereal...starting to get the hang of it

not sure where he has more....on him or in his belly?!?! hmmm :)

a bumbo baby and an almost crawler!

love this holiday season...so blessed with such a loving family :)
xoxo

4 month old christmas present....

good thing this present isn't edible(4 months old, yuck)....oh wait...maybe it is, i can just eat him daily...

{thanks carly for the idea :)}






xoxo
melinda