Heartprints

I know that Auntie Jessie has been anxiously awaiting the second half of this peek. :)

So, without further ado...


Oh, and the cutie below was one of the first girls ready. So, while we waited for the others, I couldn't help but get some shots of her. I just wish there would've been time for individual shots of the older two as well. Oh well, there's always next time. :) And PS., their mom made these gorgeous dresses!

And is it just me or do you all see what I'm seeing in the palm of this baby's hand?

I'm telling you, there is a heart!

Peaceful

I love this family and these girls, I really do. They live just down the street from us, and they are some of our dearest friends! It's been so fun to watch their family grow, and I can't believe they now have four beautiful girls! This picture was one of my favorites from the session. It just makes me feel peaceful when I look at it. More of a peek coming soon!

Ever So Gorgeous...

And here is the rest of the bunch! I think these kids are so gorgeous, don't you? All of them have such bright smiles, and I thought their modelesque pouty faces were awfully cute, too. The pretty girl in the white is wearing her baptism dress--the same dress her mother wore when she was baptized. So sweet and truly beautiful.

Thanks for such a lovely morning, you guys!

Will You Be Mine?

Happy Valentines Day! A day late, I know. But as I finally began editing this family's session tonight (more of his brother and sisters to come), I couldn't help but goo over what a cutie patootie this kid is. His little face belongs on a Valentines greeting somewhere, like this here old blog. So here we are greeting you with much love, even if it is late.

My Valentines Day was interesting. It always is since Will is so busy running the flower shops. After a week of hardly seeing him at all, I was expecting him home around 8pm last night. I always like to get the house extra clean and make a special dinner for him. But right as I started preparing a German dish, the power began flickering and then went completely out. Boo.

But lucky for the kids and me, my friend Jen invited us over for a delicious minestrone dinner, since she has a gas stove and had dinner already made before the power went kaput. They really are the best neighbors! Will got home not long after we did, and there was lots of excitement as he walked in the door with roses, heart-shaped cookies and batteries for the kids' flashlights. We had such a nice evening catching up amidst the candlelight that I don't think it's a Valentines Day I'll soon forget.

XOXO.

Sunday Snaps: Awkward and Awesome

Have you heard of The Daybook?

It's a fashion blog, and I'm hooked. It's partially because I met this Sydney girl very briefly in Germany a few years ago, partially because I am enamored with how modelesque and comfortable she is in front of the camera, and partially because she makes me laugh. Every Thursday she posts her awkward and awesome moments from that week. Even though it's not Thursday, I felt like playing along, so here it goes:

{Awkwards}:

*Breaking the glass that went inside some picture frames I recently got from Goodwill. Let me explain...

While the frames were drying from their several doses of metallic bronze spray-paint (color of which I'm not sold on--help!), I left the glass out on our dining table for a few days. But then in a mad dash to get ready for company, I hid the glass in the corner of our office...on the floor. Duuuuumb, dumb-dumb. Dumb. The rest of that story is shattered history, except that I must admit, this wouldn't have been that awkward had I adhered to the "Babe, if you leave the glass out like that, it's going to break" comment from my true love.

*Fast forward to Friday night, date night. It's my turn to pick what we do, so I take Will and a measuring tape back to Goodwill to sift through more frames and find replacement glass in the sizes I need. I was soaking in the compliments from Will about what a brilliantly thrifty idea this was until he wondered (aloud), "Why are you measuring frames with no glass?" Yup. I don't know, except that my brain goes MIA all too often.

*Fast forward a few hours later. We're at home and the kids are upstairs taking a bath. I can't wait to get my photos into those frames, so I give Will bath duty and start putting everything together. And yep, you guessed it. I break the glass for the biggest frame again. And slice my finger. I sheepishly go back upstairs and tell Will the you're-never-gonna-believe-this news. Ouch.

*Fast forward approximately one hour. The kids are in bed and I go back to Goodwill minutes before closing time to hunt down another 22X28 frame with glass in it. There isn't one, so I come home and talk Will into hanging all my pictures anyway, including the big one with the chunk missing from the bottom corner. Class-y.



...Ready for some more awkwardness?

*Walking around all day with only one (big/dangly/hoop) earring because I'm too lazy to find backs that morning, so one of the earrings falls out. Of course, my hair is in a fancy up-do (code for mommy pony tail) so that everyone but me will be sure to notice and not tell me.

*At a family birthday dinner, Magson is asked to take a piece of carrot cake to his daddy. Instead of walking it over to him, he throws it across the room. Cake explosion all over Great Grandma's carpet. I have to look the other way and bite my bottom lip to tame my laughter. You know, the uncontrollable kind that sneaks up on you when you are shocked and embarrassed and speechless?

{Awesomes}:

*Going to TX to see my sisters and their babies...I know that's old news, but still...so awesome!




But you didn't know this: I also got to meet up with Abby, an old college roommate. She was the one I cried to when Will and I were engaged and I kept getting in fender benders everytime he let me borrow his car. Now that's something for the awkward category. Are you impressed with my high aptitude for ditzyness or shocked that I managed to get married?

Anyway, I love you, Abby!



*Skyping with my family before church and my dad complimenting me on my curly hairdo. I finally figure out how to get curls to stay in my hair, and my sweet dad notices. Yesss.

*Getting a surprise love gift from Will's mom... a pot of flowers for my porch! I love that lady!

*Working out twice this week even though it meant not showering until my day was half over. I keep telling myself that ten years from now I'm not going to think, Darn you, Marie. Why didn't you shower first thing every morning? Nope, I'm not going to have to much heartburn over that, but I'm pretty sure I'll think, Why didn't you exercise!!!?

*The spontaneous and heartfelt "I love you" I got from Magson after we were finally snuggled up in his bed after a long and tiring day. I'd just finished tackling him and coercing him into his jammies with lots of "you're *this close* to losing your book" threats. I wasn't exactly feeling like a rockstar mom, so the timing couldn't have been more, well, awesome.

A Little Refresher

Sometimes I annoy myself with the whole Maggie, Magson, Magnolia code name thing. I mean, really. It's all tongue-tying, brain twisting, and impossible to keep straight. Even for me! But it is what it is. So, here's a quick refresher course.

Meet Maggie.
Five Years Old
Bites her fingernails.
Says "lasterday" instead of "yesterday"
Loves her friends, fairies, princesses, and planning playdates and birthday parties


Meet Magson.
Almost Three Years Old
Likes to scream
Says "peeping" instead of "sleeping," "noke" instead of "nope," and instead of "ta-da!" he says, "ha-haaa!"
Loves to snuggle, climb, ride his bike, and play monsters


And Meet Magnolia.
Almost One Year Old
Wakes up 3+ times every night
Says Mama, Baba and Dada
Loves to take baths, stand all by herself, and eat spaghetti

Sunday Snaps: Every Little Thing

Because Magnolia is still nursing, I always put her to bed, and Will and I switch off with the other two. On Thursday night it was my turn with Maggie. So, after feeding and reading to my baby, I crossed the room to Maggie and listened while she said her prayers:

Dear Heavenly Father,

I thank you for these blessings. (She always says that... I'm not sure what exact blessings she's referring to, but I'm glad she feels blessed!) Please help Magnolia to stop crying and go to sleep.

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Short and sweet.

I crossed the room again, back to the crib. I wrapped my crying baby up, calmed her with a few bounces and coos, and then put her back down smiling.

Before long I was back with Maggie. We were all situated and snuggled up together, but not far into her bedtime story, we got interrupted again--this time not from crying, but from some serious baby jabber. Magnolia was so uncharacteristically loud and talkative that Maggie and I had to look over and see what was up. We both got a good laugh because we were so surprised by what we saw.

Magnolia had pulled herself up and was standing against the crib rails! And my was she proud of herself, making all sorts of announcements!

I hurried to my bedroom to get the camera, and while I fumbled with my settings, I hollered for Will to come see.

He came quickly, and then it was really show time for Magnolia. She waved to him and smacked her lips when he blew kisses to her, all while standing up, mind you! I love how even though she's my third little one, we get just as excited about every little thing.

Even More Beautiful

Watching my sisters become mothers has made me want to be better. Their love for their babies is so fresh and pure, and it's made them even more beautiful.