First, an apology for everyone waiting to see their sessions-  I won’t name names, but you know who you are.    I plan to attack my work full force on Monday.    My delay is that our three day trip to Texas was extended a bit or doubled.   We went for the weekend and enjoyed that somuch we stayed on a bit longer. Turns out relaxing agrees with the Glaeser family.  While everyone worked and attended school everyday, the Glaeser family visited parks, took walks, had picnics and played so much frisbee that I am qualified for the Olympics or I am now a Labrador retriever.    That may sound like wasted time, and that I would be better off proofing and tending to my business-  well yes.  But I was tending to the business of having fun with my kids.  No computer- no phone, just a few tv channels, and no yahoo chat (I love my yahoo friends dearly) and often I spend more time with them than I do my kids.  

On a side note-  I had always been one of those skeptical gals who wince whenever a magazine article harolds the idea of cheap entertainment- or family fun without spending money.   Sure, it is possible, but it can’t be thatmuch fun.   Normally, this is the weekend that we would go to Sea World, the San Antonio Zoo or something along those lines.   We didn’t  do that and instead just opted for free entertainment.   I am now a believer that you can have just as much fun for free as in places that charge $4.50 for a small fountain drink.  The entire family ate a picnic for $4.50.   It wasn’t much,  just parks and walks and talking (and frisbee….) and it was just fine.  There were no crowds, no lines and no stroller rental fees or souvenir shops that you have to drag kids out of kicking and screaming.    Those type of things are a pet peeve of mine…. deliberately set up in choice spots to tease kids and annoy parents.   Our local grocery store has toys displayed on the bottom two racks at the check out-  just whose eye level are they catering too?  Don’t roll your eyes checker girl when my kid is whining and crying for that overpriced popgun-  MOVE  IT ELSEWHERE AND SAVE YOUR EARS!  Really- have some compassion for the parent. Parenting in grocery stores is hard work.  You’ve got wiggly bodies that can’t help but jump the squares on the floor, a budget to stick to- and then there is Little Debbie,  ice cream and two entire aisles of gummy fruit snacks to out maneuver, only to lose the battle at the check out.     Phew… pardon that little rant! 

Here are some nice soothing flowers that are announcing-  SPRING IS ALMOST HERE!!  I took these today while walking.   These are some of my favorite flowers- just don’t know what they are….

Gone to Texas…….  for a crawfish boil oddly enough!

I’ve been doing so well trying to post nearly everyday since I rolled out the flashy new blog.  The true test is on me now- will I be back after a break?    Hmmmm….  I’ll Be back Tuesday!!!  I hope to have a lovely stressfree weekend while we are visiting Stu’s family.  There are people there who play with my kids, who entertain them so I can shower ALONE!!!  I can use shampoo and conditioner- seperately because I won’t be rushing to get out of the shower.   I might possibly get really crazy and use a hairdryer…..  I can sit on the couch and pretty much chitchat or watch TV with nothing more pressing than putting a few pigtails in Claire’s hair.    Sure, it’s not really a vacation, but it should provide opportunity for simple amusements that I took for granted before I had kids.  I won’t have to grocery shop or sweep or prepare meals and NO LAUNDRY!!!!    Now, let’s just survive the car ride…..

I love bright blue eyes- both these girls have big bright blue eyes.  But I think my fave thing about this session was the baby’s wide open, you can almost hear the giggle smile.  A baby bird smile-  so adorable!  

Meet the lastest newborn to pose for my camera.  She has settled in quite nicely to her role a head Lord and Master and let me know quickly who was boss.    Most of these were done on our second session! 

Photo sessions are hard work- being expected to sleep an all….

I love wrinkly little hands.

My girl gets a kick out of looking at herself on my blog- so I figured I would humor her.   She’s always  wearing her princess out fit and posing herself…..  this girl fills every bit of my heart

If you have a little girl- take a listen..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tN7_qbOpuWs

Natchez has such a great downtown area!  I really love the shops and streets, the houses, the bluffs…  beautiful! 

Since love was in the air yesterday, what better to do than an Engagement session in a great town!  Here’s Rae and Josh-  let me say:  I love this girl! I was her 10th grade English teacher.   Now’s she’s working on her Master’s degree! She’s still just as wonderful as ever- and I couldn’t be happier to be a part of her big day. I have to give a big hand clap for Josh too- he handled this photo session like a pro! No complaints, and I “think”, just maybe, he had fun…

Here’s more of yesterday session, as promised!!!!!

One of her best friend:

I just can not help showing off this gorgeous girl and I am so overly excited about how she totally rocked her session….

so here is just one with more to come tomorrow-

Just another of Spencer taken yesterday-  which was way hard.   I think I took about 70 pictures to come out with just one.   I started out with the idea of having him sitting in all his chub, wearing only a hat.  I wanted a nice rimming light and a blown background behind.    I should have ran that idea past him since it was obvious we didn’t agree on that set-up.  Isn’t that just like children?  All my planning, imagining… gone.   He was “supposed” to sit and be cute and, of course, WEAR the hat!    Teaching me to roll with the punches and so we changed setup- and I got this one image-  ONE…..    

We parents go to great lengths to do things for our kids-  we plan and organize and wait for the smiles on their faces, our just reward.   If only it really worked that way.  Instead, we plan trips to theme parks with visions of giggling running children and we get tired grumps who only want to play in the dirt- like we don’t have that at home and it doesn’t cost $50 a person to make mudpies there.   I made some nice little creme filled chocolate glazed donuts yesterday and forced myself not to eat them.  I  saved them for Jack.  I just knew he would be so happy to get such an impressive after school treat and know I loved him (hey we’re southern- food equals love).  He ate a few bits of one, more at my prodding- and was done.   He didn’t get overly excited about my handy work.   But, I hope it’s like that theme park trip- sure Jack cried the entire time but he talks now as if it’s the best thing he ever experienced!  Kids are funny like that- what we remember as near catastrophies and hairpulling hoodoos they recall with fond memories… and so I’ll keep on trying again with other ways of letting them know how much I love them, with or without donuts …  

Our outtakes..

This Bridal was in Natchitoches and you can’t tell.  My favorite spot was in the corner of the yard underneath a huge tree.   I say ” and refer to “light” more often than anything else, but I get giddy when I find nice hazy light.  The sunlight was filtered and peaking over the house next door- wow..  I suppose the fact that Brittany is exceptionally pretty didn’t hurt either!