Soon Be Six...

Someone special is turning six!

(Click the photo)

Signs of Spring

Bare feet in damp grass
surrounded by fallen blossoms

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rays of sun shining through cloudy skies
beaming down on new delicate blooms

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tree branches bursting with new life

Slowly,

I am finding myself gently coming out of hibernation…

searching for ways to blossom and grow within myself

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For larger images visit my othe blog at:
http://www.wildflowerstudiophoto.com

Pet Photography~ A session with Vincent

Photographing pets can be a lot like photographing kids
in that they are always on the move!
Luckily I caught Vincent right after a nap, so he was still in a semi-mellow mood.

Here are a few of my favorite shots of my little session with Vincent!
(My hubby and I were cracking up on some of his pics, he looks so sophisticated, like Don Juan)
(Click the pics of larger images on my other blog)

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“Let me seduce you…”

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Big Yawn!

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I love kitty paws!

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Vincent is one cool cat with a lot of personality,

anyone who says they don’t like cats needs to meet this guy!

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Happy Sunday/Monday!

xoxo Shell

What We've Been Up To...

(feeling proud after passing his first testing)
D. had his first Taekwondo Testing and has moved up to a yellow stripe!
He loves his new sport and calls it Jedi training.
I love it because not only is he getting all that great physical energy out,
but he is learning focus and respect at the the same time!
(As you can see I wasn't paying attention to the white balance in these photos...
just hurrying up and trying to capture my boys in the moment!)

G. is the cuddliest/active boy I have ever met.
He is all boy and very mischievous, but always ready for a hug!
Our kitty, Vincent, gets LOTS of hugs from our boys.
I guess I picked the right cat!
He fits right into our family and loves all the attention.
Our next pet will have to be a girl to balance out the testosterone level over here!

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I have been feeling the urge to create handmade items lately, and with
the boys birthdays both approaching, I figured I'd make them some gifts!
First I made G's gift...

Meet Dexter, the sock monkey!

Made out of hand-me down wool socks found in my sock drawer!
D. named him after the monkey from the film, "Night at the Museum".

I love his back side :)

Now meet Valentine, the surf doggie!

Made for D. from gloves we purchased for 99 cents from the thrift store!
This guy was also named by D.

So that's a little glimpse into what we've been up to.
I have been hibernating and creating snugly eco-friendly friends for the boys.
I am a little addicted at the moment and can't wait to make another friend for the bunch.
I'll keep you posted who joins this happy group next!
xoxo Shell

New Years Resolutions/Goals (Yes, I know its Febuary! :)

Its 8:35am, and I am still in bed!

I did this yesterday too
Slept in both days
(because miraculously, my kids slept in too!)
and then I stayed in bed drinking coffee, reading all of the lovely blogs of the sweet people
who come and visit here and my other blog
leaving their precious comments.

Who knew waking up at 8am would be called sleeping in when I was younger (pre-kids)?
The extra sleep feels so good!
This year I am trying to be more lax, less uptight=more happy
(As I type, G is getting into a box of gift wrap bows at the foot of my bed, and has poured them across the floor, D is cuddling with his new kitty next to him, and my hubby is out in the (very untidy) living room working on his computer.
The house is such a mess (or at least it is for my standards), but it can be cleaned, and it will be, when I am ready.
I am in the process of getting my priorities balanced...
I have my coffee and I am cozy.
I have put myself into the equation of what matters, I am making my happiness matter to me too, rather that just everyone else's...

On New Years day this year I had one goal, not my normal list of hopeful accomplishments
for the new year,
just one simple thing to work on:
LAUGH MORE
Should be easy enough, right?
Then at the end of January I realized there were things that could help me attain my goal quicker...
Like going out with girlfriends, getting out of my house more, taking a breather from my kids, going on dates with my hubby...
these things were sure to help the cause,
so I have been dutifully fulfilling these tasks as best as a busy mom
and business owner/photographer can:)

I have had so much fun in just the little amount I have worked to attain this goal...
and I am laughing more :)
And you know what that means?

"When mama is happy, everybody's happy"
So, I am finding this is actually somewhat of a selfless act after all!

Now, if I could just get G to stop his daily pouring of cat food all over our white kitchen floor and wetting it down with water, caking it into the grout each day, as well as vandalizing our home in various places with any writing or art tool he can find,
I would really be able to laugh just a little easier.
(The fact that he tends to do this in our morning rush as I am trying to get us out the door to take D to school, makes me all the more frazzled.)
So I work on breathing
daily
But
I am laughing more so it helps cancel all the craziness out a little faster :)
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Wishing you all many, many laughs in the months to come!
xoxo Shell
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Update: after writing this the house was so quiet,
(and in this house with 2 young mischievous boys,
that is NOT usually a good sign...)
I went in to find my hubby- he was in the relaxing in the bathtub with out a care in the world. Then I found my 5 year old with cookies in his hand looking guilty,
explaining that my 1 yr. old gave him the cookies.
My 1 year old giving my 5 year old cookies for breakfast?
Interesting, and mind-boggling? Where did these come from?
Then I found my 1 yr. old in the backyard with huge handfuls (and a mouthful) of cookies!
I went into the kitchen to find the evidence, an Indian cookie box lay broken into on the kitchen floor, half eaten
(a sweet gift from my sister from her recent travels to India).
Looking at my little son's chipmunk cheeks,open box of cookies, not to mention his freshly decorated legs of thick permanent brown marker designs...
I had to laugh :)

Golf Inspired Head Shots for a Pro Golfer

So nice to have a guy in my portfolio!
To see more of this handsome pro-golfer, and up and coming model & actor
visit my photography blog
by clicking here:
htpp://www.wildflowerstudiophoto.com

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Hoping you all are having a wonderful winter and staying cozy!
I am busy with my boys and photography work.
Dylan started Taekwondo at the first of the year, and it is the most adorable thing ever!
~He calls it Jedi training class~
and has his first test this Saturday!
I will take some pics and share with you all :)
xoxo
Shell
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