Guess who's back

Back again?
Mommy's back
Tell a friend!

Hey everyone! Guess what, I'm still alive. I am sooooo ashamed that I've let this blog go for so long, like honestly, totally embarrassed. It was at one time, my heart and soul, and then, well, life got in the way. We've been up to so much in the last few months, life seriously got ridiculously busy. Ironically, it seems to have somewhat slowed down here, you know, during the busiest time of the year, ha!

So, I'm back, and I can't wait to tell you of all the wonderful adventures, trials, and hysterics we've been through these last few months. We've had so much happen.

• We moved into our house
• Buggy learned to walk
• Buggy cut her first molar (and if the other little jerks don't pop through soon, I'm going to go cahrazy)
• We've remodeled
• We've decorated
• I've watched a ton of tv
• I've learned to cook...somewhat. Well I haven't burned the house down, so SUCCESS!
• Buggy speaks
• Oh and I started a photography business which has been the most time consuming thing that's happened. But, its semi successful, so I say bring it! 

Anyway, I hope to start updating this much more regularly. Buggy has a bedtime now, that she seems to stick to for the most part, so I have time now in the evenings to write. *big gigantic sigh* 

I guess, for now, I'll just leave you with a quick peek of the Bugster now, at 17 months. She's getting SO big, people! Where oh where did that little girl come from, and where the heck did my baby go? 

Shutter Love Tuesday: Laughter

This weeks Shutter Love Tuesday theme is Laughter and I couldn't think of a better photo than one of the shots from Buggy's 8 month shoot. I absolutely loved this hot. It completely captured her true personality. Buggy is always happy and laughing. She's got the sweetest little spirit, and I'm completely in awe and honored to be her mommy. Still, to this day, I can't figure out what in the world I did right in my life to deserve such a precious gift such as herself.

Here's my entry for Laughter

It may not be the best photo I've ever taken, nor the best composition wise, but it's still one of my absolute favorites. :) 

Leave me some love! I know I've been a really bad blogger lately, but I promise as soon as we move into our house, I'll be back to blogging more regularly!

Shutter Love Tuesday: Vacation

I know, I know, I'm a bad blogger. I've been so busy, and I hate to admit that blogging has kind of taken a back seat. For that I'm truly sorry. Hopefully once we are settled into our new house, I'll be able to blog more, which will be fun because it will be close to fall and all the wonderful fun holidays! I'm super stoked for fall!






Anyway, I'm doing the Shutter Love Tuesday again. This week's theme is vacation. I'll admit, I wasn't going to enter because we haven't been on a real vacation since, oooohhhh October 2009? And well, those are just snapshots and not a whole lot of fun good photos. And since I use these challenges to practice/showcase my technique and composition, I didn't want to enter one of those.

Then I remembered a little day trip we took back in May and a few shots I took to convey movement, and going places. So, here's my entry for vacation. Doesn't it make you want to just go?

What do you think?

Also adding this to In a Yellow House's challenge "On the Road"

Shutter Love Tuesday: Wedding- I'm a top ten

Thanks to everyone that voted on my wedding submission. I just found out I'm in the top 10 for the week. Thanks guys!

Shutter Love Tuesday: Wedding

I had a real problem coming up with a wedding photo for Trendy Treehouse's new shutter love Tuesday challenge. Then I remembered the ring shot I did a while back of my husband and my wedding rings and thought it would make a good entry. So here you have it. My entry:

It's actually a shot that I took for my husband's Valentine's day gift. But hey, it works, right?

She finally has a lovey!

I'll be honest, I never thought it was a big deal, but my child has never really been *attached* to certain items (besides my left boob, but hey, who wouldn't be? It's pretty fabulous) However, that all changed a few months ago, when Buggy and I were hanging with my friend B and her little girl R. R is a year older than Buggy, but Buggy's mature so she can hang with the older kids.

Anyway, R has this Pooh bear lovey blankey thingamajiggy. And she is obsessed with it. Like, homegirl won't put it down for a second. Buggy was intrigued with the PBLBT and held it for a moment, but was kind of ambivilent about the whole thing, honestly. But it occurred to me, as I watched R slip, fall, cry and subsequently be soothed by the PBLBT that, if Buggy were to get hurt in the future, she doesn't have a soothing item except for the left boob, and hey, I'm all about nursing in public but even I think it might be a smidge odd to plop the boob out for a comfort squeeze when my kids 3, ya know?

So, I set myself on a mission to find Buggy a lovey. We tried everything. A traditional blanket? No thanks. A sweet little bunny lovey blankey thingamajiggy? Meh, whatevs. A weird satin doll with no face? Uh, yeah right.

Nothing worked. Homegirl just wasn't feeling the lovey.

That is until a few weeks ago when she saw something in the playroom/sunroom at my parents' house and fell in love. She's completely attached to it, and plays with it on the floor, hugs and kisses it, and heck, even has to sleep with it.

What is this magical item, you ask?

A Big. Freakin. Plush. Wolf.

See?

Why, yes, it is bigger than she is. But, the kid loves it. I can't get it away from her.

I guess my quest is over. But dude, how the heck will I pack this thing when we go on vacation?

Trendy Treehouse: Shutter Love

 
A few of my friends recently aimed me in the direction of this awesome blog called The Trendy Treehouse. Every Tuesday, the host a contest called Shutter Love in which they give you a theme and you enter a picture that goes with the theme. It sounds like fun to me!

So I present you my very first Shutter Love entry. This week the theme is July 4th, and what better photo of mine that symbolizes July 4th, than my very own Buggy!

So here goes nothing.

My entry:

The beautiful Bugster rocking the red, white and blue. Happy Fourth!

Oh, and I should say that votes are counted by comments on their blog, and maybe mine, I'm not sure, so show Buggy some love! Comment and vote for her. :)

I'm thinking this is going to end up being a weekly thing for me. Because hey, I love photography, and I love contests. This is the best of both worlds!

Happy 4th of July!

I want to wish all my readers a happy and SAFE 4th of July. I hope everyone has a great time and stay safe. Remember all the people who have fought to defend our country and our freedom.

Birthday Bonanza! part 2

Last Saturday we had Buggy's first birthday party. It was a blast! We even got to have it in our new home. Now, mind you, we haven't moved in over there yet and there's still work to be done in the bedrooms and bathroom, however the living areas are complete. Thank the good Lord on that one people. I was going to be crushed if we didn't have her party there.

Anyway, I just got permission from my fabulous friend and photographer J. Halstead to post some of the pics she took from the party, so without further ado I present to you Buggy's First Birthday Party.


I made all the decorations for the party. We based the "theme" off of Buggy's party dress which was all polka dots in bright fun colors. So I made dots for everything. I made a super cute Happy Birthday banner out of coordinating dots and hung it on our "fireplace" in the living room where the party was held. Super cute, eh?

Then I made a banner with her month photos that I've taken. We started at a newborn photo and ended with her 1 year photos that I took a few weeks ago. I coordinated the colors of each dot to match the birthday banner. This was a big hit! Everyone loved looked at Buggy through the year.

And here's my Buggy before the party showing off her adorable dress, and the "theme" of the party.

We set up the dining room area as the food station. I had planned on making all the food for the party, but with starting up my own photography business and working on the house, well those plans kind of fell by the wayside. Publix however did a fantastic job! Ha!

Publix also made the birthday cake for the guests to match the theme (see the middle tier) and gave us a free smash cake for Buggy to dig in to.

Buggy had a BLAST opening her presents

But honestly, had more fun chowing down on her cake. The kid loved it! We put her in my old highchair from when I was a baby (the same for her cake smash on her actual birthday) and decorated it with matching balloons and polka dots in coordinating colors (I promise, I don't have a problem with coordinating haha)

then we let her go at it...

She even posed for a quick rare photo with mommy

Happy First Birthday Buggy! Mommy loves you!

Birthday Bonanza! part 1

Whew! That was a busy week, people! As you all know already, Buggy turned 1. Lets all pause for a great big Awwwwww.

Awwwwww.

Okay, now that that's over its on to the fun part of the post. Pictures!

Wednesday was her birthday and we had a grand ole time. The hubster took the day off and we, along with my parents, took Buggy out for a birthday lunch. We dressed her up in her birthday finest (1 onesie, tutu and crown, heck ya!) and set off for a delicious lunch. We had a great time. Buggy really enjoyed talking to all the people around us and telling them all that she was 1 by holding her finger up and saying "Uhhn." Apparently she can say "one" who knew?







Afterwards, we came home for the much anticipated cake smash. She posed for a few pictures with mommy and daddy, played with the cat and daddy, and then we stripped her down for the cake smash.

Buggy literally loooooved the cake. I mean, ecstasy people. Pure ecstasy. She was basically in heaven. Also, my girl? Totally not afraid to get dirty. Gotta love that. We took her out into the yard (easy cleanup!) and plopped her down in my old (antique?) highchair, put the cake in front of her and just let her have at it. She did not disappoint.

Clean Baby meets cake

She faceplanted several times!

Oh, Gosh, Mom, this stuff is soooo good.

Sharing with Daddy

and giving Mommy birthday kisses

The end result

All in all, I'd say Buggy had a pretty spectacular first birthday. We had her party on Saturday, so stay tuned for that awesome recap.

Seriously people, I can't believe my baby is 1! If you still have an itty bitty, hug them tight tonight. Time goes way too fast to not cherish those baby moments.