summertime

sprinklers

chalk drawings

tea parties

and dancing with bobby.

Twinkle Twinkle

"winkle winkle little star... how I wonder what you are... up up bove the world so high... like a damond in the sky..."

I am enjoying the bedtime serenade while editing photos.

Top Ten Reasons I have been Blogger MIA

As you read the following reasons, see if you can guess the Number 1 Reason.

Reason #10:
I just want to sleep

Reason #9:
I shot four weddings and three portrait shoots in the last two weeks.

Reason #8:
Just opening the fridge or pantry door makes me dry-heave.

Reason #7:
All I want to eat or drink are chai tea frappucinos, watermelon, french fries and peanut butter pancakes (I had 7 just today already).

Reason #6:
Tricycles, sidewalk chalk-art, the Madeline book, bowls and spoons as drums and drumsticks have been taking up more of my time.

Reason #5:
I cannot watch meat cooking, nor eat it, nor even think about it. (Just typing this makes me reach for the garbage can.)

Reason #4:
I just want more watermelon

Reason #3:
Every slightly tender or sad moment either fiction or non-fiction deserves my entire stash of saltwater from my tear ducts.

Reason #2:
My husband is the most patient and caring man despite my lack of doing laundry or even rinsing out a dish.

and Badadada.... the Number One Reason is....

I'M PREGNANT!

Here is a photo of our little kumquat taken at almost 10 weeks. I will be 12 weeks this Thursday. (For those that are not familiar with ultrasounds, his/her head is on the right with chin tucked down and the thing sticking up on the left is not a foot, but the umbilical cord)


He/She kept waving their little hand at us through the ultrasound. It was spectacular and reminded me of why I felt so nauseated and awful these last several weeks. But oh so worth it!

welcoming Spring by watering our little garden

A dear friend gave me a Scarlet Runner Bean plant after I took family portraits for them. And then another dear friend gave us two Tomatillo plants to add to our little backyard planter garden. While I had much bigger dreams about a backyard vegetable garden, I think we will have to wait until next year. However we are enjoying this little starter corner garden until then.

I love this new watering rhythm and inviting Bentley along to tend to and steward these new plants with me. Just today the rain poured for a moment and I told Bentley that God was helping us water the plants and making them beautiful and she said, "yes" and we thanked God.

Sidenote: The watering can you see Bentley using is one that I purchased when I was pregnant with her but before I knew what we were having. I secretly wanted a girl, but didn't want to tell anyone. And in case we were having a boy at the time, I didn't want my heart to be sad if it wasn't a girl. Anyway, I had a moment in Fred Meyer where I just felt teary-eyed and thought of moments of watering the garden with my daughter someday... so in my pregnant-emotional state, I bought this watering can.

First (sort of) haircut

Against Drew's wishes (just slightly) I asked our neighbor girl, Kaeli, to come over and cut Bentley's bangs. (Drew didn't want to cut her hair at all, but I convinced him it was just her bangs and I didn't want to put clips in it forever, especially since she prefers to take them out.) Anyway, Kaeli had just started her own business having recently graduated from the Salon Academy earlier this year. Bentley held so still! I put the mirror in front of her so she could see what Kaeli was up to. An after photo will come later. :)