I don't know what I'm doing!

Turns out running a small business isn't all fun and games! My eyes are starting to cross at the amount of time I spend staring at the computer while editing countless pictures! Its a total joy to snap the pictures and I do enjoy the artistic process of editing but the editing time is obscene! I feel completely unbalanced these days and I need change! Starting next month I'm hoping to limit sessions and spend more time with the Lord (number 1) my husband (number 2 ) and kiddos (number 3) and whatever's left goes to photography! I'm in quite the reverse state of priorities these day! Thanks for listening I feel much better now!

Oh and for those who asked my shed is in a big pile of wood in the backyard! I've been doing the "studio" sessions in my basement! Ha tricked ya! I'll keep you updated on the shed progress should be put together today!

And for more crazy cute kiddos, "like" my fb page I update that the most!

Bo's first birthday party

If I'm not in a state of crazy by the time July rolls around, I'd love to do this theme for B's first big one!

Here' s my inspiration board, Happy Monday!

"It's so fluffy I'm gonna die"

I love all things girly so when this little darling marked the first session in the studio with all her ruffles and girly things, I about died. 

Happy Thursday friends, hope its fluffy and pink!

Manduka yoga mat giveaway

Remember when my sister was featured in Yoga Journal? Well, the lovely company Manduka who ran the ad sent us a yoga mat as a thank you and we want to give it away to one of you!

 {Because we love you.}

Now, this is not your run of the mill yoga mat this is the real deal valued at $72 and a favorite among the Yoga community. Its the pro-lite non slid lightweight mat for those who are on the go in the color of thunder gray.

 {my awesome sister}

To enter giveaway simply leave a comment here telling us your favorite summer activity or favorite Yoga pose!
Winner will be announced in two weeks!
Good Luck.

Weekend jetlag

Whew, what a whirlwind weekend! While I don't have time to review the weekend appropriately just know it was good and full of joy. I wanted to pop in and get everyone excited for a very exciting giveaway tomorrow, so be sure to check back!

Favorites friday: A ballerina birthday plus June

Busy bee over here! We attended this sweet birthday for a lovely ballerina and it was quite the respite in the midst of my chaos! I will be featuring more of this party soon, stay tuned.

 As for the weekend, it will be filled with more photoshoots and thankfully a returning husband. Hope yours is relaxing, happy June!

My summer challenge

A pretty palette

Spicy pasta salad with smoked gouda

This will happen in my studio

White balance makes a big difference {photo tip}

One of the many settings on your camera is white balance. This will determine the tone and color casting in your image. It plays a huge factor if you are shooting inside particularly and without flash like I prefer! Take a look and note in the top image, see the yellow color casting to his face and then the second one has been corrected! If your lazy like me you can fix white balance in lightroom or photoshop or you can choose the correct white balance setting in your camera depending on the situation such as cloudy, sunny, fluorescent light, and so on! It makes a big difference, don't ya think?

Thank you to our sweet friend who crafted Gideon a crayon color sorter, he loves it!

Memorial Day, Seniors, and staph infections...

Crazy title, huh? It pretty much summarizes what's been going around at my house! The boys and I had a great Memorial Day weekend despite venturing it sans Daddy and Auntie! The pool provided hours of fun and release for the kiddos and to my surprise wasn't too crowded. In the midst of that fun I escaped for a Senior session, (see pic!) love how she incorporated her flute! Then the weekend took a slight turn with my poor baby's staph infection. Well, not a full blown infection, but a staph spot on his forehead and if you can believe it, his third bout with this treacherous bug. I used to see this in the hospital all the time, but now I'm told by the pediatrician these bugs are on the rise. Anyone have any luck treating this without antibiotics? About to do a trial run with antibacterial baths and applying bactroban to his nostrils for 5 days,  just wondering if anyone else has struggled with these in their babes? So odd and awful.

Favorites Friday: Memorial Day

Summer is fast becoming my favorite season because of all the fun things happening for kiddos. But I'm feeling apprehensive about keeping up the kindergarten pace for my 5 year old all summer long, so we've made a to-do list and plan on checking it off. Promise to share that next week along with plans for Boaz's first birthday!

The pool opens tomorrow and that's where we'll be all weekend long, cheers to kicking off Summer and most importantly Happy Memorial Day weekend; incredibly thankful for my freedom and those that served.

image via

Taking pictures inside

A Memorial day weekend outfit

Darling cupcake toppers

A handcrafted nursery

Bubblegum pink shorts that go with everything

Yesterday I couldn't physically blog because Bo accidentally scratched my cornea, wowzers that hurt! So today calls for a light and fluffy fashion post, specifically pink shorts! They somehow magically go with most items, almost like a neutral. I'm all for items that can work with everything in your drawer so getting dressed is a nonevent.

pink shorts-jcrew, tops-h&m, accessories- forever21

10 months {walking}

The inevitable has happend, Boaz started walking actually around 9 1/2 months....seriously crazy baby. This one wastes no time. Here he is in all his superhero glory! This is that picture, you know the one you show to his future wife!

Walking video:

When things go "wrong"

When the shed came it arrived in large pieces and was to be assembled on site. However we have an impossible driveway that even trained athletes are challenged by; were talking steep and extremely curvy. So when the truck couldn't make it up and the shed was a no-go, my disappointment was evident but not all consuming. Why? Because I prepared by praying. As I get older and slightly more wise its easier to realize quickly that in the grand scheme of life its just a shed, nothing close to the trajedy of something like world hunger which really matters. That morning I had a chance to pray and ask for the Lord's perspective and guidance for the day and what a difference in made in the face of something going "wrong" and let me tell you that wasn't that only thing that went wrong that day!

Wearing his truth on my shoes, might help me remember even faster what matters during those challenging days!

Shoes here.

Look who moved in next door!

Did I mention we live in the country?! Aren't they beautiful!

Workshop teaser picture

The workshop was a blast this weekend, but now my to-do list is a mile long. So off I go to tackle it! Happy Monday!

(We did a bohemian rhapsody themed shoot!)

The most perfect lips

Isn't he a dreamboat? Editing away today, Happy Thursday!

The girl-cave plan

Ok, this is the last inspiration board for the studio-shed, promise. It arrives next week so the plans are finalized, items have been ordered and sessions scheduled! To the person who invented vinyl wood flooring, thank you so much and to Spoonflower and CWD textiles, your fabric is stunning!
Now, let's hope the learning curve for studio lighting isn't too steep!

It's such a dream come true to have my own girly space, thank you family!

Unforgettable Bruschetta

I made this once then had to go get more ingredients because I craved it so badly the next day. Yep, its that good. Your welcome, recipe here.

An unexpected outfit

Our date nights have been pretty far and few between with husband's crazy schedule, but last night my sister treated us to a night out and somehow I threw these two colors together and it worked! Mint green and carmel brown, who knew?!

Clickin for a cause {photography workshop that fights injustice}

So excited to finally announce a photography workshop! This photography workshop was put together out of Mom's asking me how to work all the buttons on their camera! I am in no way a professional, but have spent countless hours online pouring over how to work my DSLR camera in hopes of getting great pictures of my children. If you'd like to learn how to use your camera and get rid of all those blurry shots this workshop is for you. And here's the best part, your $50 donation to attend will go straight to International Justice Mission, an incredible organization dedicated to freeing children all over the world from slavery.

Here's what International Justice Mission does:

This room is wowzers

I was actually thrilled to pieces when the grocery store line was long, just to gaze at this colorful fun room on the cover of Southern Living magazine. All the pattern, color, and mixture of textures, I LOVE it.

Happy Monday!