Posted on December 28, 2011
WOW… November and December have been a whirlwind. I completely neglected my poor little blog. We’ve had lots of private galleries this year, meaning people would prefer to keep their images private. TOtally fine with me, but I don’t get to show off much.
We had a wonderful and quiet Christmas this year. Oh- and have I mentioned we are expecting? Due in May! We are so very thrilled- love those little babies.
Here are some pictures of my kids skating for the first time- it was so much fun to watch them on the ice with my husband and my mom.
Posted on September 15, 2011
Birthdays are a big deal at our house. We usually make several days out of it- why not? It only happens once a year, and what more is there to celebrate than the lives of people you love? Chris happens to be a lucky duck and his birthday almost always falls on Memorial day weekend. Which means extra celebrating! We had a great day as a family- and even did a little photoshoot with him and the kids (we are getting family pictures soon… I know, I am SO bad about being in pictures!) Then my AMAZING aunt came over in the evening and we got to go on a date.
I started editing these photos, and I just fell in love with these. These kids are nuts about their dad. I mean, who wouldn’t be- he’s wonderful. I even shot a roll in film. They are getting processed today and I cannot WAIT to see them. Did I mention we are adding film here at Brink Street? Digital is cool and all, but there is something so special about film that you just can’t achieve with digital (Plus I LOVE the sounds film cameras make…) Anyhow- watch out for some sneaks that include film scans. I’m so so so excited!
P.S. Mini sessions are coming in October!! We have amazing goodies that will be just for these sessions- don’t miss it!
Posted on June 14, 2011
Or at least a buckle fracture. Tibia and Fibula.
Our sweet little Teagan broke her leg this week. No major or dramatic story, just landing wrong stepping off a toy. It’s crazy how that can happen, isn’t it? They can tumble and fall in ways that you are just certain they are broken- and they dust themselves off and keep running. But sometimes just the tiniest thing and a bone breaks. She has been such a trooper this whole adventure- and didn’t even cry when they were poking on her. She just glared at them until I scooped her up. Then the tears came. She is amazing. We just keep laughing when the medical staff says she’s tough. She has to be! She’s number 3 with an older sister who loves to dress her up and a brother who LOVE to wrestle with her.
She’s LOVING all the attention, even though the fact that she can’t run is making her crazy. She’s crawling around like a mad woman though, and they gave her a walking shoe so that she can get back to walking soon. That also meant she got her very first sneakers yesterday (to balance the height of the cast) and she got to pick which ones she wanted- so she picked the brightest, most glittery, busiest ones they had. AND they match her cast. Teagan, you’re a hoot. Best part about the cast though? We can get it wet! They have an option for water-friendly casts now. Talk about making mommy’s life easier. Do you remember wrapping casts in garbage bags and putting bands around the top super tight so that water wouldn’t get in? And forget water fun in the summer with a cast. I’m so thankful for this option! Keeping a toddler dry in the summer is nearly impossible. And baths? Oh am I glad we can give her baths!
I’m challenging myself to take a photo a day during this month of her in a cast. just for fun- and because *hopefully* this is a once in a lifetime kind of thing.
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Posted on May 12, 2011
I don’t post a lot about us. I admit, it’s because often, things just get set on the back burner. I put other people’s images first- which is not at all a bad thing, but I have ignored my own. I took advantage of a snapfish deal last week (Their quality is NOT good, but might be decent enough for scrapbooks)- and I struggled to find 365 images that had been touched of my kids. I have over 4000- and I haven’t even touched 300? It was then I had a moment of realizing that they don’t have to be “Hangers” to be edited. I need to go through and not even edit, but switch these images to JPEG of my kids that are not things that I normally want to share. Pictures of them covered in dirt just wearing a t-shirt, them playing in their toy-strewn playroom, pictures of their hair all wonky and remnants of lunch on their little cheeks. Then I need to print them. Print them and scrapbook them, print them, and even if I just toss them in to a little slip in album have them somewhere to share. Heck, I should just make a “Moments in between” album- a year of imperfection. Unbrushed hair, first lost teeth, first pigtails, messy toy rooms.
You see, I’m nuts about my family. Absolutely in love with them. And when I have a spare moment, I spend it with them. But I will try to be better about sharing more of me, of us. I am so blessed to get to know so many of you- I should let you get to know me too!
So lots of firsts this week in the house. Hailey lost her first tooth (I cried. In fact, I’m still a mess about it. It’s evidence that my baby is growing up too fast)
Noah had his first barber shop haircut. We usually take him to the places where they get to eat lollipops and watch movies while they get their haircut, but instead he sat in a big boy chair and held still the whole time. I’m so proud of him! This is him with his Papa- who he loves like crazy!
And Teagan had her first real pigtails.
So I am going to try to be better about doing maybe a “Mine on Monday” or something. You get to know us, and I have a really great reason to edit some of our pictures!
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Posted on January 10, 2011
I don’t enter i heart faces challenges as often as I would like, but when I saw this week’s theme I knew what image I wanted to use. Capturing my own babies is a challenge. They usually run as soon as they see the camera come out, unless I have something fabulous to bribe them with. This image is special to me because it’s real. No forced “get it over with already” smile, just jubilation. Thanks for stopping by!
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Posted on December 23, 2010
A few weeks ago, Hailey saw a photograph of a cancer patient about her age. Filled with questions, we spent the rest of the afternoon discussing why the little girl didn’t have hair. It was emotional for me as I thought of what that little girl’s parents must be going through, and it reminded me how thankful I am to have the health of my children. Hailey started talking about how she wished that she could share her hair with the little girl. Immediately, Locks of Love came to mind. So we showed her the website and told her she COULD share her hair- if she wanted to.
For the next couple of weeks she mulled it over. It would mean her hair was “like Mommy’s” (above her shoulder)- and her greatest fears were that she would either no longer be a princess, or that people wouldn’t know who she was. Part of me really wanted her to decide against it. She asked pretty much everyone we came into contact with what they thought. I think the image of that little girl really stuck with her.
Then on Tuesday, a couple of plumbers came over to fix a leak and she asked for their thoughts. Both of them cheered her on- and told her that she would be a princess and gorgeous no matter how much hair she had (God bless them- they were amazing). She asked if someone would give her hair if she was sick, to which I replied I would gladly give her all of my hair if that ever happened.
Then she looked at me and said “Mommy, lets get my hair cut today. Let’s get it cut today so that Santa can give a sick girl beautiful hair for Christmas”. Then I cried and made the appointment. What a generous gift to give. What a big girl decision to make. I couldn’t be prouder of her. I will admit I really didn’t want her to do it. And I really REALLY had the impulse to try to talk her out of it. But my attachment to her hair doesn’t help anyone- and it will grow again.
So we did it. She got her hair cut- and she looks darling. She is proud of herself and absolutely thrilled that for the last 2 days there haven’t been any tangles when we comb her hair. It’s the little things, right?
Hailey… you have given a gift that I pray you never have need to receive back. I am so proud of you- you already have an amazing heart and I love you dearly.
Posted on September 2, 2010
***If you are on a diet. Do not scroll down. Don’t do it. In fact- you should probably run from this post. As fast as you can. Because the sheer yumminess radiating from the screen may cause you to indulge.***
We have an awesome milk man. If you don’t get your milk delivered- you may not know that milk men don’t show up in the middle of the day. They work overnight. Even in the winter. BRRRRRR. My brother in law is also a milk man- so we hear first hand about milk-man adventures. Usually people don’t think to leave anything for them. A few weeks ago- I started leaving baked yummies out for him. Hailey even left a picture she had drawn for him, that said “Thank you for being our milk man!”- he left her chocolate milk the next week. See? Awesome.
So now that we have been leaving him goodies- I can’t just stop! So every Monday night, I am baking. Which is great for me because I love to do it- and great for you- because I will be sharing my concoctions here! Don’t be surprised if I start asking people to take some of the goodies off my hands. A girl can only eat so many goodies before she has to buy new jeans.
So lets get started, shall we? Monday afternoon I was sitting pondering what to make for Mr. Milk Man. We made chocolate cake 3 weeks ago, chocolate chip cookies the week after that, then banana bread. It was too soon to repeat any of those. But gosh cookies sounded good. So did brownies. So did caramel. HOMEMADE caramel. And Heath bar. I looked at Chris and proposed that we put them all together. 1,000,000 delicious calories in every nibble. A.K.A Sheer Bliss. It’s dangerously yummy people.
So here’s what we start with- this is for a big batch, so if you want to half it ,you can. I would usually make everything from scratch, but we had a deadline, so store bought it is!
Before you start baking anything else, you will need a can of Sweetened Condensed Milk. Peel off the label- and lay can on it’s side immersed in water. It needs to be completely submerged or the can will explode. No joke. Bring the water in the pan to a boil, then leave the water simmering for about 2 – 2 1/2 hours. Make sure the can stays covered with water. Once the 2 hours has passed, remove the can from the water and set aside to cool. DO NOT OPEN IT WHILE IT IS HOT. Hot sugar is worse than a lava burn.
While your caramel is cooling- you will need:
Preheat your oven to 350*
2 boxes of your very favorite brownie mix. This one was on sale- so it was my favorite today.
- Oil, 4 eggs, and water for your brownie mix
A 2 pound roll of premixed chocolate chip cookie dough
Heath Bits
Grease a 9×13 baking dish. In the base on the dish, spread out your cookie dough until it covers the base of the pan. Bake just the cookie dough for approx 10 minutes. While it bakes, mix your brownies- according to the box directions.
The cookie dough will still be partially undone. Pour your brownie mix on top of the cookie dough. Put the pan back into the oven- set your timer for 30 minutes and wait. My brownies took close to 50 minutes to cook- but ovens vary as do our altitudes, so better to add time than overcook!
Now is the time to hand your cute little puppy dog eyed kiddos or hubby the spoon from the batter. If you are cool with that. I put a little disclaimer in there just in case. :-)
Your cookie brownie is done when a toothpick removes nearly clean from the middle. You don’t want it to be dry- but certainly don’t want raw batter in the middle either. Remove from the oven. Now is the time to crack open that amazing caramel goodness you made earlier. It’s hard not to eat it by the spoonful. Resist if you can- the brownies want some too. Spread the caramel over the top of the brownies while they are still warm. Sprinkle a little Heath bar on top. Then wait a little bit so you don’t melt your taste buds trying to taste it.
Once your cookies brownie caramel heath goodness isn’t oven hot anymore, brace yourself. Because this bad boy is rich. You may need a glass of milk. Or a scoop of ice cream. Or both.
Enjoy!
Coming soon….. Coffee Kahlua Devil’s food cake with a whipped Burbon Icing.
Posted on May 27, 2010
I can’t believe nearly a month has passed since my last blog post. We have had a crazy month and it seems like my head is finally slowing its spin. For those who don’t know, we take care of my Grandmother. She is nearly 87! On April 29th she had a heart attack. By the grace of God, she is recovering very well, but it has been one heck of an adjustment since her coming home. We are just thankful that we are with her and were able to get her medical treatment before it was too late.
Doctor’s appointments, Therapists, Nurse Visits, and old friends have kept our household bustling. Being home constantly has given us a chance to take lots of snapshots of the little details of our life. Teagan is sitting up on her own now, and this new perspective has her wheels turning. You can see that now she thinks she wants to get moving- and crawling will come before we know it. She is such a joy and so full of personality. She can’t resist an opportunity to brighten someone’s day with her precious 5 1/2 month old smile. She is my little chubba- Rolls everywhere! Hailey and Noah were chubby, but never had so many rolls.
Noah is our busy boy. 100mph or sleeping (Sometimes in the funniest places), he keeps us on our toes. He is actively potty training- so all of our visitors have gotten to witness shameless acts of streaking as he bolts for the potty. He is at the age that is far too busy to take the time to look at the camera unless we are slinging mud at a window or trying to scare Mommy as “Dino Noah”. He lights up our life. Noah is our pistol. Our energy. Our chatterbox. His sister’s defender, best friend and worst enemy. If they aren’t fighting, they are holding hands and hugging. He adores his baby sister and wants so desperately to carry her around. We have had a few instances that we have to stop him as he attempts to lift her off the floor by her legs. He makes each day interesting and exciting- and while it can be tiring- it is wonderful and I am thankful to have such a smart, healthy little boy.
Then there is Hailey. A princess to the core, during playtime we have to address her as such. ”Princess Hailey”- and if she is playing the role of mommy, it is “Mommy Princess Hailey”. She is full of questions- most that she is too young to ask. She is a little mommy, and glued to her baby sister’s side. She loves being a helper and tries all too often to carry Teagan and change her diapers. She is a daddy’s girl, and about half way through the workday will start asking if she can watch for him to come home. She wants to go to school as long as I come with her. She is amazing and has a beautiful and caring heart. She doesn’t know a stranger in the world, and if you aren’t careful when we bump into you at the store- she may very well share her life’s story with you as we wait in the check out line. At 4 she already has a heart for service and asks how we can help others. It melts my heart.
We are beyond blessed to have such amazing children. We are blessed to spend time with their great grandmother- they are given more gifts from their time with her than they could ever hold in their hands. We are blessed to be at home, blessed to have each other, blessed to have time together, blessed to know that the most solid thing we have is family.
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Posted on January 28, 2010
We are only a few days away from announcing the winner of the Best of 2009! It is a close race- so be sure to vote for your favorite!
If you have children, you know how quickly they grow. The first couple of weeks after they arrive seem to drag as you adjust to less sleep and a new routine- then suddenly when it seems like you might lose your mind, they smile at you. Then someone hits the fast forward button. It gets faster with each child. Teagan has grown so quickly. We celebrated 7 weeks together yesterday. SEVEN. I feel like I was just at the hospital having her last week. Of course, I feel the same way about my 4 year old- and my parents say they feel the same way about me.
It teaches me to value each day to the deepest extent. I am blessed to be able to capture them often. I wish that I had participated in a Belly-2-Baby or First Year plan with my oldest. I have a million snapshots of her, but I wish we had gotten professional portraits every couple months for her. My younger 2 kids just kind of fell into Belly-2-Baby, and I know that someday they will love to look back in their albums made just for them. They change SO fast. SO fast.
My children and husband are my heart. I love them beyond what words can convey.
I had so much fun doing her 7 week pictures yesterday (yes, I do weekly portraits their first year– they look different every day!) I even made a flower clip to use in that pretty hair of hers- and it will be fun to use with little girls in the future.
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Posted on January 22, 2010
I dream of being a scrapbooker. I have all sorts of scrapping toys, tons of paper, books, tools, everything. Often, the reason I don’t get around to it is lack of time- but the real and largest problem is I take 100’s of pictures and never get them printed! I have such a hard time thinking about cutting up beautiful, high quality prints, even if it is to put into a beautiful book.
So when I stumbled upon Snapfish I was floored. Not only do you get your first 50 4×6’s free, but you have the option to print your photos Matte (pretty than glossy IMO). I’m always a bit nervous about non professional printers, but when their box arrived, I was surprised to see that they were a very nice quality. The color is good, and the paper quality is okay- better than a cheapie printing place, but not so nice that I will feel bad cutting them to fit into a scrapbook. I will be using them on occasion for my day to day snapshots- and I recommend you give them a try for your home photos too!
(That ouch on my daughter’s nose is from when she broke it several months ago… that is her after it healed in the striped shirt next to her cousin-yay for skin that heals well!)