My Best Shot: Princess

Here she is in all her glittery, shimmery highness.

Her royal attire lasted only a blink in time, but it will never be forgotten.

Princess M. Ruler of the Benson Household.

My Best Shot. Maybe not technically my best shot. But definitely one of my favorites.

What's yours?

For other royal pictures from this week, head on over to Mother May I? There is always much to tempt the senses.

My Best Shot(s)

I was asked to do another family photo shoot this weeked. I can not begin to tell you how much fun I have when I'm working with families to capture their sweet personalities. Here are three of my favorite pictures of the kiddos from the shoot. The last is my favorite and my best shot.

Relaxing between the shots. Jennifer and Christopher have done such a great job keeping their children carefree. No part of their yard was off limits. They didn't care that Gaines was romping around in the wet grass in his pristine white outfit. It was such a relaxed experience--for the ametuer photographer and the family!

(I'd love some direction on how to make my black and white conversion a little deeper--a little more dramatic. I feel like I've read some directions somewhere on some of your blogs.)

Sibling love doesn't get any sweeter than this, does it? Sophie and Gaines grabbed each other for a completely sweet hug as we walked from one location to the next. My heart nearly throbbed right out of my chest as I snapped picture after picture of them loving each other.

I've sort of got a few more sessions set up with some more friends. I'm so excited about the prospect of really working on my skills as I experiment with my friends and their families. What an honor to be asked to capture the lives of such sweet people!

For more MBS shots, head on over to see Tracey. There's always some fun times brewing over there.

MBS: A bundle of joy to come

I had the best time yesterday doing a maternity shoot with my dear friend, Susie. With our busy schedules, this was the first time we could grab a few hours together. That sweet baby will be here in 7 days, so she was a bit anxious that she was past the "cute" pregnancy phase. Boy, was she ever wrong. She had a clear idea of what she wanted and had given me some sites to visit (there are some AMAZING photographers out there!!). As she got more comfortable in front of the camera, she was willing to take some risks. And boy was the afternoon worth it. I got AWESOME shots of this precious family. Here are a few of my favorites.



Tried the conversion. Not crazy about it.

Love this one in color. I love how each hand is a slightly different tone, all holding and loving the baby. Normally I'm a black/white addict, but this one speaks more to me in color. What do you think?


3.
This might be one of my all time favorites. Although traditional right now, I just loved how Susie's hands went right on top of Joe's. There was no hesitation in posing the shot. Even though this is baby number 3 for them, this little baby is just as lovingly anticipated as their first born. They are as excited about the arrival as they were with the first two.

Joe and Susie, I can't wait to meet the newest bundle of joy!

For other MBS, visit Tracey.

OH!! Since I'm trying to go all techy...if anyone has the code for the MBS button, could you send it to me? THANKS!

My Best Shot

Sneaking a bite of H's birthday cake icing!

For other delicious MBS, check out Tracey's place!

MBS: Birthday Girl

I had over 150 pictures to choose from this week for MBS. Well, not 150 GOOD pictures. Only a few were in the running for MBS. There are two others that I will post later this week with permission from the parents of the children in the pictures.

This is one of the happiest, smiling-est babies I have ever met. Her older brother is one of M's best friends and her mother is one of my dearest friends, so I am priviledged to be around this angel fairly often. We celebrated her first year of life Saturday and what a celebration it was! If Susie can do anything, it is plan a party. (She can do lots of other things, too!)

I have NEVER seen a one-year old who knew how to dig into the cake like MKL did. As soon as her brother helped her blow out her candle, her hand was in the icing and then in her mouth. The adults were quite tickled by this. Her she is checking out her cake before another fistful found her mouth.

For other delicious MBS, check out Tracey's place.

MBS

The picture is sweet, but the reflection in the kick plate is what makes this MBS.

Check out other MBS. I think you'll find gentle tugs at your heartstrings.

MBS: Friendship

In the middle of a sewing project, my friend Susie needed some help. She packed her kids up and headed over. What to do with two toddlers while the moms sew? Feed them! Cheetos to be exact. M and her buddy were too cute laying on the sofa laughing at each other while they munched on cheetos. Technically, not a great picture, but a sweet memory of friendship.

For other MBS, check out Mother May I?

MBS

Saturday afternoon we ran to a local park to take some pictures--the light was so great! I got a lot of great shots of M. I like this one so much because I like the composition. It could use a little editing to brighten it up a bit, but I'm leaving it as is for now.

For other MBS, visit Tracy at Mother May I?

MBS

For other delicious MBS, visit Tracey at Mother May I?

MBS

A perfect new life. Miracle.

For other MBS, visit Mother May I?

MBS

A glimpse into my future. On the surface I see my toddler talking to her daddy on my phone. In my mind, I see my teenager talking to her friends.

M will not understand life before cell phones and iPods. She'll have no concept of a time when you had to be at home to talk to your friends and family and you might have even been connected to the wall by a cord when you did that.

For other MBS, visit Mother May I?

Questions and Answers

My dear friend Arizaphale posed some provocative questions regarding my quest to simplify.
I'm going to quote her questions here, as they have resounded in my head for several days and I want to explore them in print.

"I'm still struggling with the concept of simplify. Can you tell me first what makes your life complicated? And what is the difference between complicated and busy? Or complicated and messy? I am really interested..not just having a laugh. I would like to consider the idea myself."

I'm definitely struggling with the concept of simplify. Perhaps that is not quite the word I was looking for. Yet, I return to it time and time again. It feels right in my mind, when I say it, when I talk about it. It feels like that SHOULD be my word for 2008...the word I strive to achieve, to become: simple.

When I first read the question "What makes your life complicated?" my response was EVERYTHING! I completely complicate everything. I'm the person who lives among the trees, never catching a glimpse of the forest. I never see the big picture because the details bog me down, tying me to whatever it is I'm working on. My friend, Barbara, is a magnificent caterer. Just last night, I was honored to help her cater a birthday party. She can give me any task without worrying about it again. I'll take care of it to the tiniest detail: dill sprinkled on the cucumber sandwiches, lemon wedges on the shrimp, napkins folded and placed on the table. I never see the big picture: the guests enjoyment, the beautiful table settings.

Now that I've had time to ponder that question a little more, I realize that I want to rid my life of all the things that complicate it. Credit card debt, overwhelming schedules, clutter, my extra weight. All of these things take time away from what I really want to be doing: creating and spending time with M and H.

How does credit card debt complicate my life? It's created an endless cycle of check-to-check living. Every month, in order to "pay down" my credit card, I put a huge chunk of my income on it. The problem with that is that we then have no money to live on, so I charge my card back up. My credit card RULES my monthly income. Up, down, up, down. I'm a slave to my credit card. If I could pay off my credit card significantly, my family would have more money to do the things we want and we would have the money to do it. I might even be able to stay home for a few years to do my favorite job: mother my daughter! Now the question is how do I break this cycle? Well, the credit card no longer resides in my wallet. No more mindless purchases. We're eating at home more. That's a significant money saver. I'm going to plan better and cut out some of the excess that we have. I don't need any more scrap booking supplies. I have enough to stock a moderate store. I'm going to use what I have--probably not all of it, but I'd like to make a dent in it before I buy more. M has entirely too many clothes. I'm going to cut back on what I get her. I've got a large basket with material in it. I'm going to make some sweet summer dresses for her. All of these things will result in a more simple life for us. And I'll get to do what I want: create.

And what is the difference between complicated and busy? Great question. I'm not sure I have a great answer. To me, busy becomes complicated. In December, we were busy all the time. We were exhausted. Christmas became a chore. Many days I picked M up, rushed her to H's office, picking up fast food for her supper, only to rush to my next engagement. Some engagements were necessary (catering paid for our Christmas this year), others were not. I want to be the type of mom who bakes cookies with M, who sits down to do the puzzle, who tickles and laughs. When I'm always rushing to get the next thing done, I miss all those special mommy moments. I want lazy summer days with lemonade and grilled cheese sandwiches. I want memories with my daughter, not a hurried childhood. I want there to be time to play before dinner and bubble baths.

Here is the best question: What is the difference between complicated and messy? I truly have no answer for that other than this. My house is TINY. TINY. We live in a little townhouse, two bedrooms, one bathroom. My kitchen could probably fit in your closet--your LINEN closet. We have entirely too much stuff for our house. H and I are both collectors. His is Star Wars. Or whatever the newest thing is. Right now he's collecting a type of alcoholic mixers and the sugar that goes on the rim. He tends to jump on a bandwagon and ride it for a while, then he jumps on a different on. It's just who he is. I'm the collector of STUFF. Now that I've learned to knit, I must have 10 skeins of yarn awaiting my attention. I've got massive amounts of scrap booking and stamping goodies. I like to make things, so we have tons of craft supplies. With all this stuff, we sort of live in a state of some-what controlled chaos. If we are going to enjoy the things we do have, I need to purge the things we don't want or need anymore. I took a gigantic box of magazines to the art teacher at my school. There is absolutely no need for me to hang on to magazines from 2002. H and I were newlyweds in 2002!! By managing the clutter better, I'll have more time to sit with M, to paint, to scrapbook, to sew, to knit, to read a book! I'll enjoy what I have and I'll have time to do it. I won't feel like there is always something that needs to be cleaned.

I want that idyllic childhood for myself: bike rides, kool-aid, baseball in the yard until the sky is too dark, fireworks. I feel like all of these extra things in my life are prohibiting me from enjoying life. By simplifying, by taking away, by clearing off, by purging, I will become something new and something better. The person I want to be.

MBS

Just 26 months ago, these sweet feet were on my tiny infant.
Just 25 months ago, one of these feet was casted for the first time.
Just 23 months ago, these feet were bound together in sweet white shoes with a shiny red bar in between them.
Just 17 months ago, one of these feet was molded for a beautiful blue and butterfly brace.

Now these feet walk. Now these feet dance. Now these feet run and jump and play. Now these feet ground my sweet 29 lb, 36 in. toddler.

It won't be long before these feet touch the ground when my girl sits in this chair. It won't be long before these feet carry my girl on a first date. It won't be long before these feet carry my girl down the aisle as a bride.

How can I stop time?

For other MBS that you'll enjoy, visit Tracey

Simplify Update

Simplify: To make more simple. To make less complicated. To reduce.

I just want to use forum to commit myself, over and over again, to the idea of simplification. After taking a nibble and chewing on the idea for a week now, I realize "simplify" is sort of like when you learn something knew that makes you realize how much you didn't really know or how much more you have to learn.

My dishwasher is running right now. The sound of the water swishing around is so pleasing to me ear. It's whispering "Good job, faithful servant. Your task is complete." I know that tomorrow with each meal, dishes will fill the sink and wait for my attention. However, right now, in this moment, that task is finished. I have taken one step to simplify. And it also means that we've spent more time at home, less time away. One more meal was eaten together, in our space, on our schedule. This is the essence of simplify.

I yearn to hear other spaces in my house whisper their congratulations, as well. Some already rustle when I'm near, not quite whispering yet, but letting me know they are ready for the decluttering process, the mess before the final product. It's the process that cathartic.

My desk whispers, "Thank you, dear friend, for sitting here, keeping me company, and leaving me tidy for our next meeting." I hear the quiet rumblings throughout the house. Each space wanting, desiring, to be useful. My heart echoes those rumblings for our small space to be used fully.

So I'm ready, as a runner stands on her block before her race, to tackle one small project at a time. Dinner on the table, prepared at home, check. A trip to the gym to unwind, check. Piles of magazines removed from the house, check. Desk and sewing table cleared, check. Telling someone no, well...not quite a check yet, but I'll work on that.

Simplify. To make less complicated.

MBS

Meow.

For other best shots, visit Tracey at Mother May I?

Declutter, part one

Not my best photos, but they get the point, er, clutter, across.

This is my sewing table. It's in the dining room. You can see it the minute you walk in the front door. You can see it from the half bath (I'm standing in the door of the half-bath to take all of these pictures), from the dining room table, from the kitchen and from the den. Basically, it's an eyesore that you can see FROM EVERY SINGLE SPACE downstairs. It's been cluttered for so long that I don't even pay attention to it anymore. See the purple box? A box of envelopes. See the book on top? M's Christmas present. The brown box is a Christmas present from my co-worker and there are bath gels (yes, BATH gels) on top of that. There is a UGA Santa hat, my old 35 mm body, a stack of parenting, scrapbooking, and handyman magazines. My pin doll and sewing basket, plus all my patterns in a totally cute container behind the sewing basket. Oh, yes...and a half used skein of yarn and some scrap fabric.

Here is a full view. That's my sewing machine UNDER the sewing desk beside the 12 pack of Sprites. The ball caps are hanging from a picture thingy that has a magnetic board on it. I have an apron hanging there, too.

And here it is: DECLUTTERED! The only things on the desk now are my sewing items! YEAH!!!! Just before I snapped that picture, M stuck that little stuffed animal up there. It's in a more permanent home now. All of the items on the sewing table are in more appropriate homes now (like the trashcan). I did move the magazines to my desk, which is my next area to be decluttered. Does anyone have a good way to organize old magazines? I think I might just tear out the articles I want to keep and create an idea book. I'd love any other ideas you might have.

On a side note, this table isn't beautiful and it isn't what I might have picked out, but it is so important to me. It's one of the few things (sewing table, dining table, and a chair) that belonged to H's mother. She died when he was a teenager, so I love knowing that I have something that was hers. It connects us somehow. Silly, I know, but very important to me.

Not only did I accomplish decluttering one tiny part of my tiny house, but I also went to the gym this morning.

Simplify, simplify, simplify.


And I have even BETTER news than the first phase of declutter! I DON'T HAVE TO WORK TOMORROW! All Christmas vacation, I've planned on returning to work Thursday, Jan. 3. I called one of my coworkers today who told me we don't return until Friday. I called another co-worker who CONFIRMED THE GOOD NEWS! I have NO idea how I got so confused. But I sure am glad.

Resolution?

I've thought all day about posting. Do I really have a New Year's Resolution? What's the point? I make them...mostly the same every year...and never seem to keep them.

2007 is such a blur:
Graduate school
Pregnancy
Miscarriage
The class from hell (2006-2007)
The class I love so much (2007-2008)
Busy, busy, busy, busy, and more busy

I suppose I don't really have a resolution so much as I am determined to SIMPLIFY our lives.

Here is my plan to simplify:
1.) Not over committing. I am going to learn to say the word NO. I'm not going to do anything unless I want to do it or my family wants to do it.
2.) I am going to get completely out of credit card debt. Completely. I might have to cut back a lot, but by the end of the year, NO MORE CREDIT CARD DEBT.
3.) I'm going to get us healthy. I don't have a clear plan for this quite yet, but I plan on returning to the gym and cooking at home A LOT more. I'll need H's help with this, but I feel certain he'll support me and have some great suggestions. (Eat at home=save money)
4.) I'm going to declutter. This will help in several ways. I'm going to use up my scrap booking supplies before I buy more (save money!), I'm only going to buy things we NEED and I'm going to get rid of things we don't need. I'm also going to keep track of how many outfits M needs for each season. I tend to completely overbuy for her (save more money!). I'm going to declutter our house. I want my home to be peaceful and manageable. I don't want a lot of extra "stuff" around all the time. I have piles everywhere. I'm going to slowly and methodically go through our house and declutter.

All of these things go back to one thing: simplifying our lives.

Praise the Lord.

Edited to add:
I've already started simplifying. I just paid January bills and cleaned out my bill drawer. I threw away medical insurance information from 2004. Why did I still have that???

I'm also going to participate in a 365 project. I'm going to take at least one picture every single day for a year. Once a week, I'll post pictures of my weekly pictures. I'd love for someone else to participate with me! Or at least hold me accountable. On days when I have nothing else to photograph, I'll take pictures of one of two things: either my desk or my refrigerator!