Look at What I've Been Up To....

I have been really busy at work... which has been an awesome thing - and a blessing! I love what I do (besides my full-time job of being mommy to my sweet boys... as I say sweet, it sounds like the roof may cave in from their jumping and playing upstair!? I'm too afraid to go look, so I'm tuning that out and typing on) In this past month, I have had the pleasure of taking photographs of some newborn little babies... I think I've found (one) of my favorite things to photograph!!! I really enjoy photographing kids (stay tuned for a blog post about my own family's photo shoot) and babies, but I have found that changing things up here and there keeps me excited about it too! (I shot a Bat Mitzvah recently - how's that for changing things up!?)

To see some of my most recent work, visit my Photographic Memories Blog... link is below:
My Business Blog

You can also visit my Photographic Memories Website... link is below:
My Business Website
Although,I will admit that I MUST find time to update my portfolio..... maybe I can do that after I patch the holes that are bound to be in my ceiling by now!!!!!

Jake's an Artist!!!

We love to involve our boys in charity work and doing things for a good cause... an opportunity came up for us to donate time and art for CHOA~Sibley Heart Center... so of course we took that opportunity!!!  There will be an art festival in September where artwork will displayed for auction.... all painted by children who have experienced heart issues and have been patients at CHOA!  It's going to be precious, and I know I'll be the one trying to win the bidding war on Jake's art (there WILL be a war because it's AWESOME - hahaha!!! :-)

Anyway... Ms. Kim has been to our house a couple of times now to help 'guide' Jake in his masterpieces... she is an artist, and she is so good with Jake.... I plan to have her back out to the house this summer to do an art project with both boys again!!!!!!

Here is Jake working on his first masterpiece...

She had him use a 'knife' to paint with... which he thought was so cool...

And you can tell he's pretty proud!

Day 2 entailed some use of clay...

And every masterpiece needs a signature...

He got a little messier the second time around...

I won't have pictures of his finished work until September... we still have to paint the clay (which will be added to look like 'flowers' on his sky/grass abstract pieces)! Kim was trying to get him to name his pieces (which are nature-type abstracts), and one was a dragon and the second was a crocodile.... we shall be working on the names!!!! ;-) We had so much fun, though... we can't wait for Ms. Kim to come back again!!!!

Jake's Yearly Cardiologist Appointment...

Every year, we take Jake for a check-up to the cardiologist... he's only 3 1/2, I know; and this visit was actually the first one that we made it a full 12 months before seeing his cardiologist, but this is a reality for Jake (and us) for the rest of his life!

If you went through this at birth - these appointments may carry a little more weight with you too!

Here is Jake the other day at his appointment... (getting his EKG)

He's come a long way, huh? And again with Dr. Samai listening to him... (his heart - not his mouth - for once!!!)

We received a glowing report that the gradients (difference in blood pressure from the lower part of his body and the upper) were the same!  That's huge - that means no surgery in the near future!!!! Dr. Samai is still amazed at Jake and how well he is doing! You would honestly never know anything had ever been wrong! 

Thank you, Lord, for MIRACLES!!!!!!!!!!!

Sam's Birthday Party #3...

For a kid that didn't 'want' a birthday party, Sam sure did have a lot!  I took cupcakes to a play date over Spring Break, and Sam's AWESOME friends had him some gifts to open and sang Happy Birthday to him! Sam loved every minute of it!!!!!

I love how this shows my OPPOSITE boys... Sam with his cupcake with NO frosting, and Jake licking ONLY the frosting!!!!

And the presents...

Sam is one lucky kid, and all of his friends and family made his 5th birthday the best one yet!!!!

The Game Ranch

Spring Break has been filled with lots of fun activities with the boys! We have done something fun each and every day!  One of the highlights was going to the Game Ranch (again)!  We love the Game Ranch because we can get up close and personal with the animals....

Case in point - the deer come right up to you!

Some bunnies...

And one of the beautiful peacocks!

Goats...

Jake eating the goats' snacks...

Donkey...

Sheep...

A baby goat that 'broke out' of his cage!

The gang...

And the bunny rabbits...

Yes - Jake is poking his eye... I made him stop!! ;-)

Chasing bunnies...

When we were eating lunch, a deer came right up to Sam and tried to help himself to his food.  Sam never really paid it much attention - just put his back to the deer to keep his food out of reach!  It was hilarious!!!!

See? This deer wasn't messing around... and Sam was sooo UNinterested!?!?

Off for more adventures!  I love playing with the kids!!!

First Tball Practice...

T-Ball has started!!! And Jake is playing this year... on the same team as Sam... so he's definitely the youngest... but I promised the guy he could hang - no problem!!!

First practice - 'Mommy, I don't wanna play!'

'Well, alright...'

Sam helping to encourage him...

And off they go...

Jake batting...

Sam and Riley diving for his ball...

GREAT HIT, Jake!

So proud (and he thought he was done!)...

Sam's up...

Jake caught some...

Oops! Sam missed!

They were cute as usual!  And they had a great time! Sam couldn't wait to start, and can't wait to practice again... Jake, on the other hand, had to be forced to stay on the field!!! But when it was over, I think he enjoyed it, so we'll call it a success!!!! ;-)

The Treasure Hunt!

Every pirate has to go on a treasure hunt...

And if just so happened that Captain Blackbeard sailed his ship to the mouth of our creek; got in his dinghy; and came to OUR farm to leave clues to lead these two little pirates to his burried treasure...

The first clue was (ironically) on their playground, so when they went to play, they happen to find this clue which started a winding hunt for treasure all across the farm (my dad said, and I quote, "I am glad we don't have 200 acres... we would have covered all of THAT too!")

Any pirate hunting for treasure needs his hat and eye patch...

The first map...

 (Blackbeard's first mate had access to some pretty cool arial photos of the farm to lay out the maps for these clues!)

And the directions... yes, Sam did really good with directing us in the right direction(s)!

Woo Hoo! We found another clue!

And another...

Here's where we gotta go, Mommy!

Jake talking away...

Stopping to smile...

ARRRRRR....

Another clue...

After seven (yes, 7!?) stops, we finally found the last clue!!!

I think we found the last one Mommy!!!

Yep.. "X" marks the spot!!!!

DIG Mateys!!!!!

TREASURE!!! It's really a treasure!!!!

What pirate treasure wouldn't have candy; and pirate money; and stickers; and tattoos????

I'm busy eating my treasure!!!

With the birthday boy!

The week leading up to our 'farm weekend' was hectic (spring plays, work, birthday party at school, just getting back from a trip, etc) and I almost didn't do the treasure hunt, but I am SO GLAD that I did!  Aside from his 4-wheeler and his iTouch, Sam said that the treasure hunt was his favorite part!!! He and Jake keep dreaming about what Blackbeard will do next???? YIKES! I finally told them Blackbeard doesn't leave treasure on Sundays (which was the day after this hunt), but they are STILL planning where they'll look the next time we go out to the farm.... oh boy..... :-)