Lean In

SO, we are supposed to be going camping today...

and it's pouring rain..hasn't hardly rained here all summer, and it's been raining on and off for about two days..the thing is, this was really our ONE trip we had planned this summer due to schedules..and it's pouring rain..the kids (especially Bailey) have been so excited about going..counting down the days...oh well, hope it stops at some point this morning..right now, not looking good..Brad is home, so we're going to have our usual Saturday pancake breakfast today and pack and pretend it's really nice outside...ha..stay tuned..

Being rather unproductive...

Nice rainy morning, still in our "houseclothes" (doesn't that sound like an old person term? lol)..

Chaz, in his normal spot..getting his last few days of long stents of Playstation in before school starts in a week and a half..

Bailey, being an annoying little sister, disturbing Chaz's concentration while playing playstation..(ignore the R2D2 looking thing in the background..we are in the bonus room and it's hot as h*ll up here with out that robot looking portable air conditioner)

and me? at the computer, sending emails, sorting pictures..I really need to get Bailey's pictures sorted from her preschool year and get scrapping on those..I have the album I want in mind and the line of papers I want to use, but really need to sort those pictures and papers and stuff..

For your viewing pleasure..Bailey likes to go in my closet and pull out my shoes and walk around the house in them..and the other day, she insisted on a picture..hmmm..

and a random layout I finished the other day..not too thrilled with it, but it's done and going in the book..one more holiday checked off the list..Father's Day 2007..I used a digital template of Ali Edwards like a sketch, but I am SO NOT a "white space" girl..I can't stand to have large areas with nothing in them and I was at a loss of what to do with it..so I filled it with stuff..lol..whatever..

Here's the template I used..

There's a layout that I really like on my table right now that I need to add journaling to..maybe I'll get that done today..after we get ourselves moving, eat lunch, go buy a baby gift and maybe a few school supplies..

Can I say something about school supplies? It's hard to get excited about going to buy them like when I was little because now they put everyone's things together and you don't get to really keep your own stuff...for example, a pencil box is listed, but it says not to label things with their names because they will be sharing supplies..well, what's the fun in picking a box if it's not going to be yours? So silly that I worry about things like this..

Happy Hump Day..

Some shots from my Sunday engagement session...

I need to start with a little history here...Brad and I used to be really active with the youth group at our church back before children..at that time, I had a cell group (or life group, as some call it) of teenage girls that I met with weekly and hung out with..I started leading them when most of them were 9th graders ( I had a few 8th graders too) and had then all the way until they were Seniors..fast forward to now, and most of them are finishing up college, getting married, etc..Well, this brings me to Amber...she was one of my girls..and now she has a four month old baby and is getting married in November..Her fiancee was the sweetest guy (I called him "C" because I could not pronounce his name..my southern accent just butchered it)..lots of fun..and both of them are REALLY tall..it was a good thing I took my trusty little step stool with me..I travel with that thing when I do pictures because I am so short, it helps me become more "eye level" with people or if I'm shooting from up above while they are sitting, it puts me a little higher..sad, but true..I am verically challenged..and when Amber got out of the car, she had some chunky heels on that made her even taller..gulp..lol..

We met at the Peachtree City Library..great fountain there with a neat little area around it..we ended up just working that whole area..

Here are a few that have stood out so far..

For some reason, I LOVE this next one..just love the expression, the angle, and that you can see her ring..

Alrighty then, ready for some family shots? and one ADORABLE BABY BOY? I could have just eaten him up..smiley boy..with BRIGHT blue eyes..baby Connor..

Awwwwwwww........

LOOK at Amber's eyes!

Ok, I'll stop now..lots more to edit, but these are the ones that stood out..I'm sure there will be more..let me know what you think and what your favorite is!

And it's outta here...

Tooth #2, that is..

Ripped it right out..

Hope I don't scare you with this next shot..lol

Dreading the next ones to come out..the big top ones...he will become known as "Snaggle Tooth"...

We're just hangin'...

Bailey turned down going swimming with Daddy and Chaz to stay home and watch movies? Weird..

Super slow weekend we've had..I'm getting ready to go do an engagement shoot in a bit..it's SOOO hot today, I hope the guy isn't a big sweater..lol..we're meeting at 6, so maybe, just maybe, it will be a tad cooler..trying out a new spot for pictures too..also just spent about an hour browsing through Flickr to get some pose ideas..love how you can pick a "tag" to search like "engagement" and it pulls like 400,000 pictures with that tag..sometimes I go blank on poses..and I'm feeling like I may do that tonight, so printed out lots of poses I liked to jog my brain in case it fails..lol...I'm photographing their wedding in November, so this will be good practice..and they have a four month old baby who we're going to throw into a few of the pictures too..

Brad and I served in the children's ministry today ..so glad he joined and helped me..kids just listen to a man better for some reason..lol..

Yesterday afternoon, we went to a cookout at our friends' the Clarkes..our life group hasn't gotten together all summer, so it was time..I took some very random pictures..kids ran amok and adults stood around and ate and chatted..can it get any better? 

A few of the kids really "got into" the sandbox, wouldn't you say?

The Bennett boys..

Of course, Snow White herself..with a red net..?

Miss Savannah..

Steve and his big green egg..I don't know, I do think the burgers tasted better on that expensive grill..

Ben and Susan chatting..We found out last night that Susan is expecting a GIRL! yay..

Ben's beautiful other half came a little later with their two ducklings..missed a pic of them..I must have put the camera up by then..

I missed getting any pictures of Chaz and Ty too..they were off wrestling or something..

Eric and "Baby Charlotte"..Jen was at work  :(

OH, and we were there too..lol..Brad with his sunburned self..

Happy Sunday..

Hopefully I'll have some peeks of the pictures I take tonight soon...

I just got the coolest thing at Target..

Have you seen these cool new aluminum water bottles they have at Target..I couldn't resist..there were so many ones I loved, I had a hard time choosing, but went with this one..I've felt convicted about how many plastic water bottles I'm polluting the land fills with, so this makes me feel better..

and we were also shopping for Chaz a new backpack cause he goes back to school in exactly 2 weeks (yuck!)...and he decided he wanted a "messenger bag" for this year? Interesting...so, that's what he got..

Please pray for Kate..

Things like this make my worries seem so small!

Scenes from the "Gridiron"...

Hee hee...

This is the coach we're hoping to get..the draft was last night..waiting on "the phone call" to find out which team we're on..that's Chaz in "ready position"..lol

There are issues with getting the helmet off..lol..

Buh-bye..

Mixing it up..

I accidentally put my 85mm lens instead of my zoom lens on my camera before I left last night..hence, the extreme close ups on some of them..

Edited to add: Just got the call..Coach Brett's team it is..not Coach Steve, but still good and not the coach that I had the "issue" with..all good! Plus my friend Amy's son, Gabe, is on this team, who Chaz has become big buddies with during tryouts..

A spontaneous little day trip...

Figured you guys have had enough of seeing our little friend in the backyard..When Brad got home, he hit the box with a stick but nothing ever came out and the box felt pretty light, so we're figuring he moved on to look at other real estate..thank goodness..but I'll be watching..

Saturday, I woke up to beeeutiful weather here in Georgia..nice and kind of cool with low humidity..and I felt the need to go somewhere with Bailey (remember Chaz and Brad were out of town)..Just couldn't think of anything to do..had thought of the zoo, but didn't want to go by myself with her..so I called my mom for ideas and the first thing she said was "what about the zoo"? ..and then she said she wouldn't mind doing that today too, so we were spontaneous and hit the road (which is SO unlike my mother to be spontaneous..lol)...

Bailey loves the elephants..

Us and our boyfriend..lol..he's handsome isn't he?

I almost gagged several times from the smell of goat/sheep urine..seriously, my Mom  kept looking at me like I was crazy and asked me "Heather, how are you a nurse"..and I was like "something about this particular smell is just grossing me OUT"...lol

These poor animals in the petting zoo, they probably secretly hate children..

Apparently, we're about to lose our Panda exhibit due to lack of funds..sad..

LOVE this picture..had to take advantage of that deep red wall..

I've always loved this mural on both sides of the Reptile house..love the colors and it brings back childhood memories of exploring in here when I was little..

Ummm, that thing looks a little realisitc in the picture, doesn't it?

I always have to throw one picture of a snake in for Mimi..cause she loves snakes..lol..this one was a beautiful bright green though, so I was digging it..

Off to see the gorillas..ya, right..the gorillas are too smart and know how to work the "natural habitat" thing..they sit way off on a hill with their backs to you..so, if you ever REALLY get to see a gorilla, you're lucky..note to self: bring your binoculars next time..so, it's a good thing they have some cool gorilla statues to get pics with...lol

Ummm, we had to wait on this Asian family FOREVER who took like 1600 pictures on the gorilla before we got our turn..seriously, they were oblivious that there were OTHER people waiting to take just one picture..grrr..but it was kindof funny ..

and off to the other "elusive" animals...the lions..

But low and behold..

and that's a wrap..we did ride the train at the end, but those pics are on my Mom's camera..

I realize that this post is "Bailey" heavy with pictures, but hey, she was the "only child" that day..

In other news, football tryouts ruled last night..and tonight, I'm taking my camera..wasn't sure if I should yesterday, but tonight I will..it was SO fun..can't wait for football season..and I've GOTTA get a picture of Chaz in his whole uniform..too cute...he did REALLY well and there were several coaches getting his name and writing it down, so which team he gets on remains to be seen..we thought we were locked into the team that he practiced with the past month or so, but they renigged and decided not to "freeze" him for their team..wellll, let's just say he showed them last night and I know they are regretting their decision not to keep him for their team before try outs (football gets quite political apparently) cause one of the coaches from that team, who had suggested he just "lay low" at tryouts, came up to us afterwards and was going on about how awesome he did..umm, we told Chaz DO NOT lay low, you give it your all, and he did..they can't have their cake and eat it too, in our opinion..so, he's a free agent and like I said, there were several coaches slapping him on the helmet, saying "NOW, THAT'S HOW YOU PLAY FOOTBALL"..and checking him out..I'm kindof hoping another coach picks him up just for the principle of it..lol..stay tuned..

(OH, and if you're on Facebook, you may remember about a week ago when I posted a status update that I was in "Momma Bear" mode and about messing with my kids..well, it pertained to all that football drama with the coach..just thought I'd clear that up because I know I had said I would post about it on the blog)

UMMMMM, that's NO bluebird...

So, we're sitting eating lunch at our eating area table..we have some bluebird houses that Brad built that are right in sight and have had several families of bluebirds in them over the past few years..however, today, the bluebird appeared a bit different looking...

OMG..! However, I did run for the camera with Chaz right behind me..

GREAT..now we have a snake house.. *shudder*