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It’s hard to believe my baby is growing up… We are just eating up every bit of him! Lyon’s so-sweet Valentine’s this year. This kid is going to be such a heartbreaker like his dad when he grows up…
Taken ever-so-quickly with my iphone camera this morning. Life is so busy that I just don’t have time to pick up anything other than my mobile device – but that is for another post! 😉
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If you’re like me, you wait until the very.last.minute for holiday shopping. Then you feel guilty for having to pay expedited shipping… Or worse – you subject yourself to the MALL in a desperate frenzy to find the perfect gift. Lucky for you, I’ve put together a curated gift list that is sure to win over any member of the family (including yourself!). Here are some of my favorites for 2013:
From left to right/top to bottom: For the World’s Best Mom: Engraved Initial Tag Necklace. Elegant hand-stamped keepsake for mom that let’s her know just how special she is in your life. This item typically takes 2-3 weeks for customization, so I recommend purchasing the pendent first, then engraving afterwards. For DIYer’s: Christmas-inspired Food Gifts. This is perfect for last-minute DIYers and those who have a long gift list and want to stay on a budget. Homemade gifts are quickly becoming the trend during the holidays. Pair your incredible creation with some beautiful packaging, and it will sure to be a hit! For the Caffeine Lovers: Nespresso Brewers. Look! It comes in a festive color! Give your loved one the gift of energy that keeps on giving. For Foodies: Fresh Herb Gourmet Salts. My friend Julie has an appreciation for good food and believes in cooking with ingredients that heal and energize us. She’s created a line of fresh, flavorful herb salts that makes any dish taste better. Everything is packaged beautifully with recyclable products and proceeds from the sales go to ALS Research, Breast Cancer Research, and the Navy SEALS – so you know you are giving back. My favorite is the Rosemary Mediterranean Sea Salt with a hint of Lavender! For the Techie: Iphone LifeProof Case. This iphone case seems like it’s made from steal, but it’s actually quite slim & light. For those like me who like to capture every minute of every second in their family’s life (but also has a tendency to drop, splash, or shatter their phones) – this is the perfect gift. Did I mention it’s 100% waterproof? For the Planner: Laurel Denise 2013 Planner. It’s beautiful, it’s innovative, and it’s super easy to use. Give this to your family’s planner, and she will love it this xmas! For the Beginning Budgeter: Digi-Piggy Digital Bank. I LOVE this and have this on my list for several kids this Christmas. It’s an adorable way to teach young children to save, count every penny, and only spend what they earn. I stuff each bank with $3 in quarters, and their little eyes light up each time they open it. Genius. For the DIYer (again!): Simple Cooking Rubs. This is a great gift because you can get your husband involved! Combine the ingredients to his favorite rub, and find festive fabric and ribbon to finish the look. This is a gift that they will use (and love!) for a very long time. For the Naughty: A good ole’ fashion lump of Coal….that just so happens to be a wonderful patchouli black shave soap that is rich and earthy with a scent that will be sure to keep you lingering near him. The perfect stocking stuffer! Happy Last Minute Holiday Shopping! xoxo! It’s 9:30pm Thursday evening, and my work day is just beginning. I just finished cleaning the mess at the kitchen table my toddler made while attempting to feed himself beans, homemade Chinese pork buns and zucchini. And then there was the mess in the kitchen from me making the beans, homemade Chinese pork buns and zucchini. Not to mention the mess in every other square inch of the house that resulted from this destructive, caveman-like creature who moves form one toy to the next like he’s high on life (which he is). It’s been a long and exhausting day of moving, moving, moving. We’re up at the crack of dawn, and every new inanimate object or picture is the opportunity to teach my toddler something new. There’s a lot of “Moooooooos” and “Quack Quack’s,” a lot of “Where’s your feet, Lyon?” and “The wheels on the bus go round and round..” Lots of stimulation, of movement and music, of reading and listening, of teaching and guidance, and of being *present* for my 19-month-old. Sometimes it’s so exhausting, I count the minutes until it’s nap time and I finally get to shut down my “mommy brain” and do some work for my businesses. Oh, I feel guilty for saying that! It’s hard. It’s so hard… I thought that the more independent these little ones got, the easier it would get. But it’s actually quite the contrary. They need us in different ways now, and it’s even more important that we’re present for them… Small as their adorable heads are, they are absorbing everything around them like a sponge, and if we’re not 100% there to help steer this newfound curiousity, we lose, and then they lose. Right? And so now, while he slumbers – my work day begins. I’m off to researching infrastructures with our web developers about making NAPCP faster, more accessible, and at the top of every search engine. I’m answering the 354 emails that I missed while being with my toddler today. I’m prepping for our next Image Competition & finding ways to improve the process and experience for all of the entrants and judges involved. I’m reaching out to vendors, packing orders, folding laundry, planning photographer retreats, designing Christmas cards, scrubbing crayon marks off the walls, proofing clients, fixing printers, balancing Quickbooks, tying pretty ribbons on print boxes, signing matted prints, ordering inventory and supplies, calibrating cameras, creating client contracts, invoicing, and so on, and so on. I know I’m not saving the world, but It’s December 6th and the weight on my photographer’s shoulders is heavy. Christmas is just around the corner, and I need my adrenaline to take me 19 more days. As I sit here and journal about my day, I step back and shake my head at my disgruntled words and tone. Why the heck am I complaining about my day? I know so many moms who would love to fill my shoes and wear my many hats. This is the life that I chose and I have a beautiful little boy snoozing *just waiting* to start his exciting new day tomorrow. I whole-heartedly believe that being a mom is the toughest job in the world. It’s hard. It really is… Our days are filled with second-guessing our decisions for what’s best for our children, of playing Cowboys & Indians with such thrill and excitement despite our 4 hours of sleep the night before, of feeling guilty for turning on the TV for five minutes of peace, of building racetracks out of paper towel rolls and leftover shipping supplies, of disciplining (and bribing) when need be, of repeating ourselves a thousand times to know we’ll have to do it all over again the next day. And of looking into our child’s eyes and feeling our hearts filled with the greatest love there is. Life is grand for me, and I truly know it. I worked my ass off my entire life preparing for this role, and every time I fight the disgruntled, sleep-deprived voice – I look at my boy and I thank God for the opportunity to be his mom….
For all of your stay-at-home-working moms out there who love your children to pieces, you are awesome. 🙂 A few weeks ago, my sister-in-law asked me if I could take some updated photographs of her children for their Christmas card. Like any good family member – of course, I said yes. The months of September – December are always tough months for me. My calendar looks like something threw up colors of the rainbow representing client meetings, family sessions, staff meetings, skype interviews, production sessions, conference calls…it’s not a pleasant sight. Somewhere in the midst of all of that, my baby is growing up quickly into an active toddler/little boy – and I’m sad because I’m missing all of that. So, when my sister-in-law asked for a quick mini-session, I used it as an opportunity to take my sweet 18 month old out to play, and we got some fantastic photographs along the way… I absolutely adore the last set. The relationship that Lyon and his dad has formed is one that makes any mother swoon. How did I get this lucky with such beautiful boys in my life?! loading
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