Baby in the belly!

It's always fun for me to photograph a couple anticipating a baby on the way, but it's especially fun when it was one of my wedding couples. I have known Devon and TC for years now, they are precious people. They were on of my pretty weddings a couple summers ago and needless to say, I was so excited when Devon contacted me for maternity and newborn photos. They have shared that they know they are having a girl and are naming her Harper. I know they will be wonderful parents and we had a great time shooting this sunset session! All the best to you Devon, TC and baby Harper!

Also, as a total photographer side note....there has been a ton of talk lately about cliches in photography. I totally agree that there are so many things that are "overdone" these days and certain ones make me cringe. I try to avoid them, sometimes even when a client requests them. Please notice, you have NEVER and WILL NEVER see a selective color image on my site (when everything is black and white except one thing in color). If you want that, I am not the photographer for you.

There are trendy things in art, just like in life. You never want to be the person who holds onto that trend for too long (think 80's perm and huge bangs...just not good!). I know things like sunsets, fields, props, etc are all the rage...but hey, sunset has ALWAYS been a beautiful thing to photograph. Pretty outdoor settings make WAY better backdrops than vinyl, my friends. A lot of "trends" these days aren't really trends at all, they are staples in the history of natural light photography.

I decided recently that even if you are approaching shoots in a similar fashion or style (which is hopefully your own personal style), it's ok to approach them that way because every couple has their OWN story. You are always telling a new story with each couple. Even in the case of this shoot, this is a couple I have photographed before but it's a NEW part of their story, the beginning of parenthood. As I approach each shoot, although some things I will approach in a familiar way, I will remind myself I am telling the client's story in a fresh way. The client is what is unique! Stepping off soap box now.... Enjoy the shoot!

Pretty mommy-to-be!

I thought that this was so sweet...they brought some of the bedtime stories they hope to read to Harper. It was perfect practice for bedtime reading and made for sweet pictures!

Love this one, Devon's sister made the inital for Harper's room!

 

 

Love this one and I think it makes for a happy ending...or really a beginning! Beginning of parenthood :)

Monday Confessions

Nothing says Monday morning like having to clean poop off a rug before 7 am or realizing ants decided to attack in your kitchen... It's only 8am and I have already been dealing with things like this!

The hubs was sick last week and yep, you guessed it...I had it by Saturday night. No fun but thank goodness for NyQuil to at least get some rest!

I feel if I were to make "confessions" today, it wouldn't be nice things. You know the old saying, "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all?" I am weak in my tiredness and not feeling well and having already dealt with so much this morning.  

I will leave myself and you with some wisdom on how to approach the day,

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart
    and lean not on your own understanding;
  in all your ways submit to him,
    and he will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3: 5 - 6

Have a great week everyone!

Check back later this week for photo features :)

And if you missed the wedding of Alexis & Mike, it's getting lots of fun features. Today it's Delaware Online

My Fun Family

My grandfather turned 73 last week (alhtough he doesn't look it) and he has long been known for inner comedian. He told me what he wanted for his birthday is to finally get a good picture on the beach with his pretty wife before they "decay anymore." Mommom and Poppop, as they are affectionately known to all us grandkids and great grandkids, have been living in Lewes at the beach for nearly a decade already. They "retired" down there only to keep working :) I love it though, it says something about work ethic that kids these days just don't get. They still enjoy fishing, hanging out with friends and who am I kidding, they probably have more of a social life than me! Well anyway, Poppop wanted to do a fun take on the Ma & Pa in the classic American Gothic painting. He wanted "American Beach Gothic" - I told you, inner comedian :) We had a good time this last weekend creating this image and I have a feeling it's definitely a peice for posterity! Happy Wednesday friends!

And of course, I couldn't have my grandparents there with my kids and not attempt a picture! Just so you know, it's like my camera makes me invisble to my kids - they suddenly can't hear or see me. They ignore any requests I holler from behind it so this was the best we had...even with bribing with Dairy Queen Dilly Bars :) Hey, ice cream always motivates me!

Featured in Rustic Wedding Chic

So thankful for wonderful clients who put their heart and soul into their weddings! Alexis and Mike got married this past May at the Elkton Tea Barn and it was choc full of wonderful details. Today it was freatured on Rustic Wedding Chic blog, "the wedding blog of choice for brides planning a rustic or country wedding." Head over to Rustic Wedding Chic to check out full post!

Monday Confessions

These Mondays come faster and faster as the summer draws to a close! I start teaching again in two weeks...it's hitting me, back to school!!!

1. This morning's fun activity was teaching the twins how to use safety scissors. I gave them scrap paper and told them to have at it. They loved it and it actually kept their attention for half an hour. To my great pleasure the only thing that got cut was the paper! It was a miracle, no clothing, hair, or other unsuspecting items got cut up! I am counting the days until they go to preschool :)

2. I am beginning to wonder if it would be cheaper to purchase, house and feed a cow than it would be to keep buying milk in the quantities we need it for 3 small kids?!

3. Although thoughts of back to school give me mixed feelings of joy and depression...I love school supplies! It's always fun to get those fresh notebooks and new pens. I am such a dork :)

4. I was going through some bloodwork for something I am being tested for and found out among other things, that my cholestrol was a point high. I was shocked?! Who me?! It can't be! I better put down the eggs and pick up the oatmeal for a while :)

5. I read the book Stolen Woman by Kimberly Rae, it's the beginning of a great trilogy. It's an interesting story about a Christian girl who was adopted to the US from Bangladesh. It's her journey to India and beyond. I don't want to give too much away but I definitely enjoyed it and am in the middle of book two. It's very based in Christianity, which was a fresh perspective for me when reading a novel. There's lots of suspense as she discovers the horrors of human trafficking and desperately tries to help. Pick it up if you need a good end-of-summer read!

6. I am sort of blind without my contacts and the hubs is also. We were talking about Lasik one day, curious if it was worth it? Any of you out there been through it? Pros or cons? It would be nice to be free of glasses and contacts! Our poor kids have no chance!

7. I have great clients and just want to say so. I got a wonderful email over the weekend from one of my recent engagement shoot's bride-to-be. It was such an encouragement to know that someone appreciated not only my work, but my demeanor while working with them and the creativity I put into it. This leads me to say, if you have something nice to say to someone - you should! They might need the words of encouragement that day :)

8. I am going to be a busy lady in the next few months (as if I have been on vacation the last few, haha!). I am just putting it out there so that if anything starts to slip with blogging, etc you will know why! I have to keep my family first for us all to survive and then business/teaching come a close second. Thanks for understanding as I consistently work on prioritizing in my life!

9. Have you seen the Thirty One bags?! I know they have been around for a while and a friend gave me one last year at my baby shower. I loved it and am thinking about ordering some more. What are your favorite uses for them ladies? I am thinking about some of the huge organizers for kids stuff and even camera gear.

10. Take a moment to stop and smell the roses somewhere along the way today...gratitude helps us all with contenment and joy. I am learning this day by day my friends!

Here's a sneak of a quick session I did with my kids during the past week... (And aren't the outfits precious? Check out Sew Adorable Too on fb & etsy.com)

Have a great week! 

Christine and Jack, crazy fun shoot!

I love getting to meet new people, it's a great perk of my job. Christine contacted me a few weeks ago in hopes of setting up an engagement shoot. She had written in her initial email, "What really drew me to contact you was not only your photos but all of the kind words others had said about you." I was instantly humbled because here was a potential client who not only liked my work but was drawn to me as a person, she took the time to check out my website and about me. This was starting our relationship off on a great foot and of course as soon as I met Christine and Jack in person, it was all good. Besides being adorable, Christine is very sweet and bubbly and I could see why Jack took a liking to her the first time they met. He confessed to "falling fast" for her, as they shared their story with me during our shoot. 

I also have to say that I love being a natural light photographer. This shoot was FULL of lighting/weather surprises as you will see and nothing was artificially lit. I don't have anything against artificial light and sometimes need it, but there ain't nothing prettier than a gorgeous evening glow...or in this case a wicked thunderstorm to go with it! All the best to Christine and Jack, so much fun meeting you!

(And of course, I definitely want to thank all of my previous clients for writing kind words section of my website!)

Outfit number one...just getting warmed up!

Outfit Change...sun is going down....

Christine totally has an inner-super model...she works it well!

And then the storm rolled in...I was loving every minute of the crazy! This sweet couple just rolled with it too and had a blast, despite the wickedness rolling in over our heads. I secretly think Christine talked to the weather gods in order to coordinate their outfits with the awesome colors of storm clouds :)

We took this one for mom with a more formal pose but somehow I hope that this image gets looked at some day by their grandkids. I absolutely love it!

Last shot of the evening and a great way to end..the thunder and lightning were so close we thought we better take cover!

Nikki & Danny, Engagement contest winners!

Remember their story from our Love Is In the Air Contest earlier this year? They met when they were 15, but it wasn't happily ever after. Nikki wasn't officially allowed to date yet but they snuck in a friendly double-movie "date" at her house. Nikki's mom, clad in her flannel duck PJ's caught them smooching on the porch and according to Nikki, "my mom first and middle named me while Danny took off running into the snow." Fast forward lots of time, up and downs, and here we are today with them happily engaged and looking forward to a 2014 wedding date! 

Thanks to all of you, the readers of the blog who chose this couple for me to capture. We literally had to reschedule 3 different times due to the crazy summer/stormy weather we have had this year. It was either 110 degrees or thunder and lightning. It was fine with me though because the Sunday evening we finally met up for the shoot, it was nice and breezy (or at least felt that way without the intense heat!) Danny apparently was joking that every time we rescheduled that he had more time to practice his "America's next top model eyes," but it ain't no joke....he definitely had the eyes down! I really genuinely enjoyed being around these two and capturing their love! Enjoy the epic post friends and start thinking of who you want to see enter the contest next February?!

 

There's those Top Model eyes..

Monday Confessions

Do you feeel Like Monday comes too fast? Wishing the weekends could slow down...

1. Fall Mini Sessions are currently SOLD OUT! Thanks for the response on this and if you were hoping to get a mini session this fall, please feel free to shoot me an email about it. I am currently booked for weekends but would consider a few select weekday shoots for those of you that were hoping to get in on the fun!

2. Parenting has been throwing me for so many loops, I feel like I am living on a carnival ride. Here's a quote that gave me pause today..."Don't worry that children never listen to you; worry that they are always watching you.  ~Robert Fulghum" This is humbling because I can try to say all the right things, but what they see me DO leaves the biggest impression!

3. With potty training, did any of you other parents start having the crack-o-dawn wake up call when they started staying dry overnight? We have been up at 5:30am like clockwork to go potty but they're doing pretty good with staying dry overnight. I am so not nice at that hour though...my poor kids. (See quote number 2, I am in trouble)

4. We took the kids to the beach for the day yesterday. Our conversations when considering this go like this:

Me, "It's August, we have only been to the beach one other day this summer." Hubs, "but it's so much work with the kids." Me, "honey, everything with the kids is an intense amount of work. If we went by that, we would never leave the house." I have to say, it was a whirlwind getting out the house after breakfast but it was worth it! At least two beach days under our belt this summer :)

It was great because between last time we went and now, Max has started walking. He loved the freedom to cruise around and check out the beach!

 5. Who are some of your Olympic favorites? I have loved watching all different sorts of events and even the kids have taken a liking to it. Dean keeps asking me when swimming will be on again :) There's something fun about watching the best of the best compete.  I think it's certainly a nice little escape from all the current political drama around the world too, just fun to see the athletes meet in one place to perform what they have been training all their lives to do! (In case you missed it on twitter, Dean wants to play professional hockey when he grows up. He told me this while watching Olympics and then Macy piped up saying she wanted to grow up to play hopscotch :)

6. I feel like I am always cleaning something that will inevitable get messed up as soon as I turn around. Anyone else feel like this? Sometimes I get why people live in dirty houses, cleaning can feel pointless with kids :) Before 7am yesterday we had a milk "situation" with the twins and today before 9am I had already cleaned up a hair spray/nail polish issue that arose when Dean was going to the bathroom "all by his self."

I have some engagement sessions to blog this week, lets hope I can be efficient and kids take good naps! Seriously, lets hear it for all moms...my hat is off to ALL of you! I don't know how we all do it and stay sane...or maybe I am slipping into insanity and don't know it yet?!

Have a great week!

Mini-Sessions are here!

Hey friends, details below on how to get in on Fall Mini-sessions! As you will see, it's a limited time/place and first come, first serve. Please email me with your request and I will let you know of available time slots. If the demand is high, I will consider adding a date. Thanks friends and future clients!

Monday Confessions

MMy confessions might be lame today because I am still not feeling well. Started with a virus (will spare details but it requires lots of bathroom visits) on Friday night and it has plagued me off and on all weekend through this morning. SO..

1. I have been laying on the couch thankful for the Olympics as my entertainment because of feeling bad. I missed a girls night with friends on Friday night that I was super bummed about...even a girlfriend from out of town was here! Isn't that always the way?!

2. In good news, my sweet friend Jay from last weeks maternity session I blogged had her baby early on Friday. You never know why you're compelled, but we were so glad to grab these shots before baby Maddex showed up later that week unexpectedly. Prayers appreciated for Mommy's healing and baby Dex as he is hanging in the Nicu a little while (as many preemies do)!

3. My hubby has been great trying to keep the ship afloat and help when I needed help while not feeling good! 

4. It seems the kids all have different touches of the same icky sickies but hoping it's on it's way out!

5. Who designs those olympic uniforms?! Some are insane. I always feel bad for the gymnists having to pick their wedgies in front of a watching world..but who cares right? USA women's gymnastics are going to tear it up!

And in case you missed these shots from the "carbi-bal" last week with the kids...enjoy!

That's all for now friends..hope to get to actual photo posting later this week when I am on the mend! 

What I am working on...

I love what happened at last night's shoot...the weather went crazy on us! It was great light and fun to capture and I just wanted to share a quick sneak peek of what I am working on next (among other things)!

Allie & Les, a Philadelphia Engagement

They met on sort of a lark thanks to a friend, isn't that always the way?! Who knew it would lead to a wedding! I have known Allie for a few years now and she is a sweetheart. We met up for our session in Rittenhouse Square last week when it had finally cooled off for a little bit. We started there and the light was gorgeous and the energy of the city was evident. We then moved to the famed "boathouse row" at Philadelphia's Farimount Park. We had such a blast and a special thanks to Allie's mom and sis who came along to style/assist in any way needed. I could get used to having such a good looking entourage :) Allie and Les, can't wait for your February wedding!

Something about this one, I just love. It's a fav for sure!

 

Maternity Session...before the rain came

You might remember this sweet friend of mine from her other maternity session with her first son. She is a precious friend and is expecting her second son next month! Although, things are always different with the second, we didn't want to miss an opportunity to get a few belly shots before little man's arrival. We had a whole lot of ideas to try but unfortunately a storm was brewing and only got about 10 - 15 minutes for this entire session before we got POURED on! This crazy weather has not been kind for business but I take it one day at a time lately, enjoy :)

This was a fav of mine, her little cutie Cayden posed for us!

Monday Confessions

Another week to start afresh...we started our day at 5:45am because of little people ready to be awake! Any of you out there suffering from this too?

1. I confess, I am not nice at 5:45. I put them back to bed with books for a little bit. An hour later, I took a brisk run to wake myself up and attempt to come back in the house a nice person. Truth is...I am just exhausted :)

2. Any of you other work at home moms have great advice on how to divide up your time? My business primarily gets done during naptime, weekends and evenings. I am definitely looking forward to preschool this fall for the twins for lots of reasons! I will still have Max man but somehow one doesn't seem as daunting as three, but I am sure I still deceive myself on my potential productivity!

3. I have been BUSY with photography which is exciting for me. Creativity gets me out of the slumps of the daily life activities like laundry, dishes, and poo duty. I had an engagement session last night that I just feel in love with and I made a new friend...I don't know his name but he introduced himself to me with a little lick and nible :) Can't wait to share the actual couple with you, they are precious people and we had a great time! 

4. Another session tonight and Thursday....drinking iced coffee just thinking about it :)

5. I rarely take stances on issues considered "politcal" on here because this blog is not about that...it's about me, my work and my life...but sometimes issues just happen to collide. I would dare say that most Americans are finding our lives very affected by the policital decisions of others, be it economy, health care, or otherwise. We don't exist in a world where other's decisions don't affect us. I was so saddened, like the rest of the US, to hear about the tragedy in Aurora, CO last week. It broke my heart to think of all the people in that theater who just thought they were going out for an evening's entertainment. I cannot even imagine their terror or horror that they faced or will continue to face or what the victims family's are facing. It pains me to even consider it.

I say all this to say that I believe as strongly as ever in the second ammendment, that we have the right to bear arms. Everyone is making this situation out to be about guns and sadly it's not. Ill people that have the desire to hurt others will do it any way they can, guns or no guns. I think it's only fair to allow the rest of us to properly protect ourselves if we so desire. We can't undo horrific acts of terror done to people...but I can't help but think if at any of these awful scenes, if a licensed, proper gun owner was there to defend the people...would it look differently? I know that "what if" questions are not necessarily productive, but I do think it's worth considering. We never hear the stories of where there was a law-abiding hero that came to the rescue with his firearm. I know there are such stories and have heard them, but they never make the news. I will leave this thought with a quote from Charleton Heston in 1997, "There are no good guns. There are no bad guns. Any gun in the hands of a bad man is a bad thing. Any gun in the hands of a decent person is no threat to anybody – except bad people.'" If our forefathers thought it important enough to put self-protection right up under our rights to " freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and freedom of the press, as well as the right to assemble and petition the government" then we should take this very seriously. 

And with these thoughts, I will leave you today...a saddened and unsettled America, every day deciding who we shall be in the future. 

(Please feel free to disagree with me, I understand this opinion is not shared by everyone. I just ask that you respect my thoughts as I would respect yours.)

Monday Confessions and family slideshow!

My oh my it feels like Monday! Instead of all the mundane things I usually confess like cleaning up lots of poop or pulling a major mom fail and attempting to go to park today (hello sweletering heat and hot play equipment)...here's the slideshow of our family session from April with ever fabulous sisters, Stephanie and Tammy of Luminosity Photography & Design. We are thankful for the memories captured and can't believe how fast the kids have already changed in a few months. We notice Max changing the most because of his additional teeth and now he's walking! 

And speaking of memories, I want to hear from you - do you have a way you document things about your kids? Not just growth but funny stories or pictures? I know one of my resolutions for 2012 was to be better about documenting the kids but I really don't feel like I have made any progress and need ideas!

Enjoy friends! 

Monday Confession

Dont know about you all but it feels like Monday at our house. Coffee isn't even really doing the trick today. The kiddos have a stomach bug going on and it's leading to lots of laundry....here goes confessions!

1. I have washed, dryed and almost folded three loads already today. Load number 4 is in the wash currently and you will know why in a minute.

2. I took the kids to the park to play before lunch thinking it's finally below 100 degrees outside, we better go enjoy it. It takes us about 10 minutes to walk there then we were there 15 minutes when up from the high slide macy says, "Mom there's poop on my leg." I had to investigate she didn't mean bird poop or something.  Sure enough, it's all fun and games at the playground until your 3 year old poops herself! (Hence the stomach bug :( Well this mama had no supplies or backups. I had to strip her waste down and praise Jesus for the starbucks napkins stashed in the stroller that got the poo off enough for me to sit her on napkin in the stroller for the walk home. I made her ride with the stroller's bug cover over her lap so her girlie parts weren't on display for the whole world on the way home. Can you tell this has been a fun day? (This is why four loads of laundry :)

Pre-poop Pic

3. I decided to make crock pot sloppy joes for dinner tonight. It seemed easy enough and actually sounded good to me today! I think I will put sweet potato fries on the side and call it a balanced meal. 

4. I have a pile of coupons sitting waiting to be clipped. 

5. I am in a fierce clean out mode and trying to get rid of things we don't need. Do you ever feel suffocated by all the stuff you have? Our basement is full of stuff we keep organizing. We keep asking, how do we get so much stuff?? We thought we cleaned out when we moved! 

6. Max is full on walking! He does a cute little side step for long distances but that kid is cruising and he is FAST. I confess, he has gotten to the top of our stairs twice today unseen because the gate was down. (In my own defence, the first time it happened I was dealing with two almost-preschoolers in the potty!)

7. I found a pottery barn table I loved this weekend at the store at a super good price ($400 for a $1500 table) and..... I didn't buy it. We wanted it so badly to fit into our kitchen but when we got home to measure, it just wasn't going to work. I had to call and sadly let them know we wouldn't be taking the table of awesomeness. I think there's a metaphor in there somewhere, sometimes things seem awesome and great...but they just really don't fit into your life how you want them to!

8. I am working on dreaming up some creative ideas for myself to work on. I daily am drained by just life itself and need to get the creative juices flowing! If you want to model for me or have an idea- I am ALWAYS open to hear it :)

9. Why is it that i seriously can never get out of Walmart for less than $100?? I think it's a ploy on their part. I just always remember 5 other things I need when I get there, not matter how short the list started out. Oh well, at least it's one stop shopping. Heck, I saw they do kids haircuts for $8 at our Walmart - watch out Dean!

10. Just trying to remember today, even in the midst of the "mondays," I am blessed!

Have a great week friends!

I love America

Americans get a bad rap with other nations and sometimes it's totally well deserved but other times it's not. I have traveled well for a 30 year old so I have seen enough of the rest of the world to compaer and I am always so thankful to call America home! I also love history! I might have been the only fifth grader who took actual joy in reading the play 1776 and then going on a field trip to Historical Williamsburg. I think that our lives are enriched by knowing what has gone on before us. Are you scared for my kids already?! You should be :) 

I always like to think about the history of America on the fourth of July, it's natural I think! I want my kids to take joy in our nation. This is our first fourth in a our new "small town" environment and we ate it up. We walked to the parade route on Broad St, soaked up the parade (although my twins were waiting for something Disney-like to happen and this small town parade was horses and political candidates :) and ate hot dogs for lunch on the way home. We had a great time though and eventually got to watch the fireworks go off over our house last night. Hope you all had a great 4th too!

I will steer clear of a political diatribe but I am thankful for the men that were bold enough to step forward to create this nation! Still timely and powerful words...

"When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness..." (Declaration of Independence)

Our 3 kiddos waiting for the parade...

(And forgive that my 3 yr old is pulling a "brittany" with her skirt but there's only so much you can do with a 3yr old in a skirt :)

Our whole gang! (thanks friend that took this :)

Max's first lollypop! He loved it!

Daddy looks just as excited as Dean!

Have a great holiday weekend everyone!

Monday Confessions, Early Edition

Happy Monday friends. I am currently off to an efficient start for the day so only have fairly positive things to confess :) It was, however, the weekend of the unexpected. Did any of you get caught in the crazy storms in the Northeast?! 

1. I confess, my daughter spent two out of three nights sleeping in our bed. This was a first for us because we sort of have a big "no kids in our bed" policy. With the crazy storms though, we made an allowance and let her snuggle in with us. My mom's house on the Chesapeake bay got a branch through the roof so we are just thankful that we only lost a couple umbrellas! 

2. About today's productivity, it started with a run at 6:45. The first step out of the bed is the hardest part but it allows me to get the blood flowing and my mind going. I tend to use the run as a prayer time to clear my head and focus my day. It really does make me a nicer person the rest of the day!

3. I have already done two loads of laundry today! Sometimes you just have to count the small things :) 

4. I had to reschedule a photo shoot yesterday due to the severe heat. I never like having to reschedule but it wil make me look forward to it all the more next time! 

5. Made a rookie mistake cooking Saturday night and sliced my finger pretty good. I walked around with a Dora band-aid for a few hours until I found the grown up band-aid stash :)

6. The twins turned 3 last friday and I still really can't believe it. I know all mothers feel this way but how can it go this fast?! 

7. Confession, this photographer momma has still NOT taken one year photos of Maxwell. I know, I know ... but it's not as easy as you think to coordinate. SO he will have 13 month photos one day soon and it will just have to be good enough :)

8. If I wait any longer to get a hair appointment, I will involuntarily have "ombre hair" - google it if you don't know what I mean! Do you ever delay on things for yourself? I am so bad at this, time alone and spending money on me is sometimes hard to do!

9. I tried the new International Delight Iced Coffee from the grocery store and it's really not half bad! At $3 a half gallon, it definitely trumps a Starbukcs trip. It's also nice that it's totally ready made and just needs a glass of ice if you are in a hurry! (There's even a coupon if you click here)

10. I am currently reading The Castaways by Elin Hilderbrand. It starts with a boat crash so it has kept me going! So far an interesting read as the relationships unravel and the past gets revealed. What are some great things you are reading right now? (I am also simultaneously reading a few theological and parenting books, got to keep it all balanced for my brain)

I am looking forward to the 4th of July this week with a small town parade and fire works in our town!

Alright friends, here's to having a great week ahead!

Delaware County Wedding!

Well you know that I live in the twin world, so you will love this story. I had a wedding earlier this month where a twin married a twin! (not each other's twins of course!) They also have a fun story about how they met on their respective boats with their families! Brent may or may not have had another girlfriend at the time, but something stuck with him about Ali (love it!). 

Brent and Alison had a beautiful wedding out at Kings Mills in Media, PA. It was a scorcher so we kept it short outside but were able to get lots of beautiful images of their wedding. Here's just a sampling of their big day!

Groom before...

Bride before...

Bride and her Dad before...

Ready for the aisle!

Ceremony shot...

Bride and her twin sis!

Love this parting shot...

Monday Confessions!

I am dealing with a bit of a migraine today which makes it feel like Monday! I think it feels especially like Monday because we had a fun weekend that we didn't want to end. Ever feel like that? Saturday we celebrated my step-dad's 50th birthday with all the family and then we took the kids to see Brave later that evening. We also decided to take a last minute beach trip for the day on Sunday when we realized that July was creeping up on us and we hadn't put toes on the sand yet! Needless to say, we packed in so much fun that we didn't want Monday to come! But Monday it is so here I confess...

If you didn't catch these on instagram, here you go!

1. One kid was up at 1am scared of a thunderstorm and antoher kid was up at 4:45am telling me "I not tired Mommy." And you wonder why the migraine? :)

2. We had a successful errand run this morning that included our old 'hood for me to refresh my hydrangea stash, the car wash to get the sand out of the van, the bank, and then the dreaded grocery store. I have to say though, today's grocery run was a lot better than last week. I confess that last week in the bread aisle I threatened to just leave my kids there and walk away. I know, it's not pretty side of me is it? If you've ever had preschoolers with you "helping" in the grocery store, you know why I did what I did. Thank goodness we get fresh starts every day! 

3. Today I was supposed to get up at 6am to go for a run because for the past few Mondays it was supposed to be "the day" when I started a running regimen again. Well if you remember confession number 1, it didn't happen because I was too tired to open my eyes. I have not been doing consistent exercise since Easter and I just don't like how I feel when I don't work out. Mind you, most of my day is full of physcial activity like walking, running up stairs, lifting kids, pushing strollers, etc but it's just not the same. 

4. I havea  love hate relationship with my dog. I love him but hate his dirt. Anyone else deal with this? We are in full shed season right now and I am not a fan. I got a nifty tool at Target to help with the shedding but nothing stops it completely. 

5. And speaking of animals, we have birds attacking our play set with poop. We bought a fake owl, Hootie the kids named him, to try to keep away the pooping birdies but so far it's not doing the trick. Any ideas?

6. This morning, while Max was napping, I was cleaning out some trash from the van and accidentally set the alarm off. Full swing flashing lights, honking horn and going crazy underneath his window. The best part?! I couldn't get it to stop for what felt like an eternity as I hit the buttons!! Embarassing....

7. I cleaned out my Dyson today. I have to say I am truly disgusted at what gets sucked up in the vacuum. I guess I should be happy because it's not on my rug anymore but really, it's gross. Giving the vacuum a good clean out is a good thing to do every 6 months or so to keep it sucking! :)

8. What summer TV are you into? We are struggling to find things we can watch together and both enjoy now that Duck Dynasty is on hiatus. We did hear that there will be season two! Hooray!

9. Remember the album from Jenny & Tyler that featured some of my work? I was excited to see it in the review section as I flipped through this month's Relevant Magazine. 

Don't you think grocery stores should offer free babysitting in a play yard like IKEA? If anyone ever offered that, they would instantly become the top grocery store around!

Happy Monday friends! There will be wedding blogging this week, cross my heart!