Monday Confessions

Good morning friends, sorry we missed a week with Memorial day and a birthday in the same day last week! Frist things first, I confess I haven't even finished a cup of coffee yet but I am going for it!

1. Here's a fun shot of my baby boy's birthday after he blew out his candles!

Here's another cute shot of him being big boy on the swings!

So now we have a 2 year old and two 3 year olds in our house until the end of the month when it's the twins birthday!

2.    I have a story to share with you. I often have wondered since the beginning of my motherhood days if all kids come with as much energy, spunk and curiosity as one child that I have :) I just had to laugh yesterday as one of his precious Sunday school teachers told me the story of her first day with him. He was apparently up to all his usual tasks like escaping the gate, trips to the bathroom, playing in the sink and water...the list continued. On one of his escape trips into the bathroom he had gotten the lysol and was spraying it everwhere. (I can't make this stuff up) She told me on her ride home, when her husband asked her how it was she replied "it will be better next week, I will have a plan." She even requested an additional child gate for the following week. Yes, my child needs addtional gear to keep him in. The best part is that this sweet friend had been an elementary teacher for over 13 years so she was no rookie....she had just met her new match.

     I think back to our previous church before we moved, they also had baby gates and locks attributed specifially to Dean. He had learned how to break into the snack cabinet. There was one day he sprung the entire class out of their room and the 2 year olds were all making a run for it....I share all this to say, it validates how I feel sometimes. Living with a curious George/Dennis the menace combination can be exhausting...but it can also be lots of fun. I felt validated though, hearing from other seasoned moms that he truly is a handful. So mamas with those extra special, strong willed, handful kiddos...hang in there, it's part of the adventure! (Mostly it's for my personal sanctification I think...) His cuteness definitely helps him stay of of some trouble :)

3. I have been doing some reading of some great books. I just finished Kisses from Katie, a wonderful story of a young woman with a heart for God and a willing spirit. I definitely encourage anyone to read this story of love, compassion and commitment. It has deeply been challenging my own personal convictions and even how I live my every day life here in the U.S. Katie's blog is also a great place to see what she's up to!

4. I confess that Monday's are the worst...honestly, at our house they just are. I usually have tired kids from some variety of weekend fun, which makes them grumpier than usual. I feel like it always rains on Monday (dramatic, I know) so we are stuck in or stuck going on the weekly grocery run. Today's excitment will contain a trip to the doc to get kids a follow up from a test and then a trip to the grocery store. I already dread it and they have already whined when I told them what we had to do today. 

5. I confess I already raised my voice....In the time I have been writing this I can't even list all the issues I have dealt with. It's like they sense me attempting something productive and have to start on their worst behavior. I was even walking towards the crying/screaming chanting "I will not yell"...

6. Word on the street is that Friday is National Donut Day and Dunkin' Donuts is giving free donuts with drink purchases! Check your local Dunkin' and treat yourself!

7. As for photography, it has been picking back up into a very busy season and I hope to be sharing some posts with you soon from the last couple weekends. For those of you asking, I am now booking for August and after so if you're wanting a late summer session, this is a great time to get it on the calendar!

8. Have any of you seen this prank video with Jeff Gordon?! It was race weekend here in DE where all the Nascar fans pour in...thought this was appropriate and GREAT for a Monday laugh!

9. Or have you seen this?! 

Go ahead and laugh at yourself today, I give you permission. Life is too short to be so serious! Have a great week!

Monday Confessions

If I am honest, it's been a challenging day. Nothing has necessarily been different than a normal Monday but I am challenging my own heart attitudes today. I am really not as nice as I like to think I am (and if you don't even think I am nice, I totally understand!). Life has sort of worn me down lately. I won't bore you with all the details but often the propsect of waking up on Monday morning, facing a week with my 3 kids knowing I am their primary caregiver for most of it...doesn't get me started off in a good mood. It's an honest struggle. I was thinking about not even posting on the blog today for fear of being discouraging, but I am just being real. 

What did I do though? I read some good honest truth both from the Bible and about motherhood. (If you need a good read, Desperate Mom is where it's at!) 

1. What stuck out to me this morning was this, Proverbs 14:1 "The wise woman builds her house, but the foolish tears it down with her own hands."

Striking...I both have the power to build up my home or tear it down. This morning's ugly attitude had potential to tear down so I needed to get it in check! What helped? Obviously the scripture, but also some more thoughts from the book. 

2. Yesterday we had the awesome opportunity to participate in the 10th Annual Buddy walk that is put on my the Down Syndrome Association of DE. Our lives became directly connected with the DS gang last year through many streams of events but mostly a couple of good friends gave birth to babies with DS. It has truly opened my eyes and altered my perspective but I will share those thoughts another time. Here's to team X-Men, for Maddex and Knox, for being the biggest team out there! It was a great first year effort for them and ALL the people involved. I am excited about what the fundraising can do for the furture of all these sweet kiddos!  

Here's the boys and their families! Knox's Daddy isn't pictured because he is deployed and serving the US! I have to say, these are two awesome women in this picture too that I am glad to call friends! 

3. This brings me to another thought, if you know someone who is affected by Down Syndrome and want to read a great book written by a mother of a child with DS, Bloom is the best. The author, Kelle Hampton, is a beautiful writer and is very open and raw with her first encounters with her daughter. This book came to me at a time last year when I needed to read it! It peeled back the curtain on mothers with a special needs child for me and gave me new eyes to see them, to love them. Honestly, I think it's a great read for any mother. She explores motherhood, faith, and all sorts of things that kept me turning the pages. I literally gave up everything and read it in an afternoon last year! Btw (can I text abbreviate on my blog?!), I have fallen in love with following her on instagram and seeing her little Nella in photos!

4. I have been exploring recipes and my kids have not appreciated it. Although, my husband has enjoyed it! I tried to tell my kids the other night "not all mommies like to cook or try to cook new things." Their appreciate was about as excited as I am to take the trash out. I did try this for Sunday night dinner and although mine didn't look pretty, it tasted great! Braided Spaghetti Bread is delish! I found the bread dough right at my local Acme too, fyi!

5. I confess, I am glad the long weekend is ahead for more family time! I have some birthday planning to do for my little man who turns two. We are truly keeping it simple with a very small family party but I am still going to try to do a few cute things! 

Have a great week friends!

Monday Confessions, Mother's Day edition

Whew, what a weekend! We went on a "mini-vacation," as the kids were calling it, for the weekend to Lancaster, PA. We just needed a big dose of family time. We have definitely been burning the candle on both ends for a while. My semester just ended and Mother's Day weekend seemed like a good time to get away! 

1. First a shout out to my mom, not only is she an awesome mom, she helped us get the hotel because she's a traveler extraordinaire. Her generosity definitely touched us!

2. If you have young kids, the Willow Valley Doubletree is where it's at! We had a two bedroom hotel room, which fit us perfectly. The indoor water playground had my kids going nuts. In fact, the woke us up at 5:30am saturday wanting to know if it was time to go back to the pool yet! 

3. I had recently purchased discount tickets to Dutch Wonderland through our preschool and boy am I glad I did! Dutch Wonderland became the other fun part of our weekend that made the kids so happy. 

Here's the hubs and kiddos before our "preview night" (You can go it after 3 to check out the park until closing and come back for the full next day!)

4. If you missed this embarassment, enjoy your free laugh! For the record, heights don't scare me but getting soaked on a 60 degree breezy day does apparently strike fear into my heart! We laughed so hard seeing this picture we had to purchase it for posterity. Good times...

5. The kids favorite ride other than the log flume was the "mini-whip" where they got whipped around in a circle. I think it was invented by parents who needed a good laugh. When the boys rode together, they could not stop laughing when the squished into each other around the corners. Loved it!

6. We saw an absolutely gorgeous scene as sun was setting Saturday evening... This is just my phone shot. I took pictures with my 'real' camera too but just haven't had time for them yet. 

7. Today alone we have already gotten an oil change, gone to Safeway for groceries, went to play at the park, went through the car wash and vacuum...then came home to continue the 5 loads of laundry I have been working on. I looked like a troll all morning in sweats with no earrings but it was TOTALLY a trade off. I didn't look good but darn if I didn't kick butt and take names in the productivity department. Kids were cooperative and willing to be good for bribes like mini-donuts and a trip to the park :)

8. My knee is still on the mend..missing my insanity exercises!

9. I shared a quote last night that is on my heart today "There is no way to be a perfect mother, but a million ways to be a good one" - Jillian Churchill. I love that sentiment. It's true, not a one of us can be perfect but we can be good. Motherhood has rocked my world in many ways but it's refining me into an entirely different (and i hope better) person. 

10. SO THANKFUL for all the moms in my life! I already mentioned my lovely mother but I am also blessed with a great Mother in Law too! She is so generous to me and loves on my kids like no other. I am also beyond thankful for my grandmothers that I still have to spend time with and learn from. Ain't nothing like a mama!!!

Have a great Monday friends!

Monday Confessions

Another week is upon us! We have been up for a while already but just got this Monday party started with a little dance party to Mandisa's Good Morning.  It's a really great way to start a day if I am honest! I was laughing with my kids and listening to Mandisa's encouraging words, not to mention Toby Mac's little rap. Dean loves to day "Top 'o the mornin' to ya 'Disa." I really can't believe we are kicking off our second week in May! So here goes confessions...

1. I hurt my knee late last week and it's been killing me. Remember that 3 mile run I was all hyped about? Well it hasn't happened again since. I tried to run friday night and "pushed through the knee pain" like an idiot. I could barely do the steps by Saturday so I need to do a little resting of the knee and low impact exercise this week to get back on track. Getting sidelined isn't fun but sometimes we need rest to bring healing!

2. I caught the Blind Side on TV last night and it gets me every time! I love the story of a family opening up their lives to an unsuspecting soul and how God weaves it all together. I know Sandra Bullock won an Oscar for her rendition of Leigh Ann Tuohy but someone had to give the raw material! Who shouldn't love a fiercly loving and protective mama that isn't afraid to stand up for what is right either with her snooty friends or the boys in the projects?!

3. Mother's day is next Sunday and I am totally stumped for gifts! I am usually a planner and not so last minute. I have a couple ideas up my sleeve so we shall see what we come up with!

4. I started reading a really good book towards the end of last week, Prodigal God,  by Timothy Keller. I have to read it in small doses because it's so convicting! He breaks down the story of the Prodigal Son from the perspective of both sons and who Jesus was really talking to when he told this story. I am sure it will be a book I read over and over!

5. My kiddos are done preschool in just two short weeks and I am starting a list of summer fun that we can have. Do you have any great ideas for day trips or fun things to do around the house? I would love to hear them! Anything preschool appropriate we are up for!

6. Even as I am writing this I have been called to the upstairs potty to go wipe a bottom and Dean's voice a few minutes later just yelled down "Mom, Maxwell smells like poo." That's mom life for you :) Keeping it real...

7. Can you believe this guy is 2 later this month? It's crazy to me!! I really don't remember him ever being that small!

8. Tonight is my last class of the semester! Teachers get just as excited as students this time of year. It was a great bunch of students to work with this semester and I will be sad to see them go. I am thankful though that summer is on it's way!

9. Our kids don't know yet but we are going away this upcoming weekend!! Who's excited?!! ME! We are going to Lancaster, Pa for a weekend away as a family. I really cannot wait! Our hotel even has an indoor kids water park area....counting down til Friday....

Have a great week friends!!

To the mom who thinks she can't take time for herself...

To the mom who is so busy working trying to keep up with all the needs in her home that she never takes time for herself, I grant you permission. I am saying this because I too made this mistake for a while. I always thought that neglecting myself was just part of taking care of everyone else. What I have learned through the last four years of motherhood is that taking decent care of me is the BEST way to take care of everyone else!

One particular form of self neglect can come with exercise. I am here today to try to encourage even one mom out there who feels like she just can't. I have been in that place and it stinks. You are so exhausted that even thinking of exercising wears you out! What I have learned through the different cycles of my mom life though, is that I am ALWAYS better off when I am excercising regularly. Diet is sort of a dirty word in our house so I will avoid that discussion but food makes a difference too!

I ran 3 miles last night for the first time in maybe years and it felt so good to accomplish that. It helps that I have been doing all different exercise videos for the last few months trying to get back in shape. I haven't lost much weight in the last few months but my body has changed so much. I can actually do push ups too! (This is huge for me). Running 3 miles with a friend last night reminded me that my body is strong and meant to be used. It also gave me way more empowerment than sitting on the couch. I felt accomplished, and saw a little glimpse of the "former me" who ran and exercised regularly before kids. So wherever you are on this journey...start with a brisk walk today or if you are farther along, push yourself to go longer! 

To encourage you...

This is me a few months after having Max at around 175 lbs if I had to guess... (if you think it's not that bad, it's because that size 14 dress covers A LOT gracefully :)

And some of you might remember this recent shot at Easter, at 150 lbs (the weight I was pre-kids) and feeling much healthier and stronger. Please excuse our pasty whiteness, I definitely am in need of a tan :)

My Colorado Experience

Many of you that keep up with me or the blog know that this past week I traveled to Colorado, but some may not know the reason. When my dad passed away almost 2 years ago, he had repeatedly made it clear that he wanted his final resting place for his ashes in Colorado. Although it might seem strange for someone who spent the majority of his life on the East coast, CO was most definitely his favorite place. He had lived there for some years as a young adult and literally fell in love with it, but eventually duty called and he returned to DE to join the family business. Eventhough Delaware was his address, his heart was always in Colorado. He wanted his final resting spot up on a mountain in view of Rabbit Ears Pass just outside of Steamboat Springs, right along the continental divide. It's funny though, I had only ever been there once as a kid. You know how life gets in the way and it's never convenient or there's never enough money for a trip, etc. I wish I had experienced more of it with him! 

Here's what I realized through this journey, along with my brother and some of dad's best friends...this was his final gift to us. We had set the date for April 17, which would've been dad's 60th birthday this year. While some might think we were going to great lengths to honor someone who had already passed on, this trip really was about us. I cannot tell you what a gift it was to spend a few days (sans kids) with my brother and my dad's buddies. It was such a gift to see and experience his favorite place in a huge snow storm no less! Lets just say though that this was not an adventure for the faint at heart!

I had to laugh though because I am an amateur skiier at best and my bro might have even less experience than me...I know, we put dad to shame but he couldn't stand "Pennsylvania foothills" after skiing the rockies. I can now see why! Anyhow, I digress. The thing is though, you can't exatly get up a snow filled moutain without skis! We had our first adventure with cross country skiis in 18 degrees, at 10000 feet and the whole thing took us all about 4 hours on the mountain because of our novice. Thankfully DJ & his wife Marie are both skilled and patient :)

Here's us heading up...

David and DJ, two of dad's best friends. DJ & dad met when they were just 13! 

This was Rabbit Ears Pass the day before the snow, you can see the "rabbit ears" up on the mountain top. (iphone pic, sorry not the greatest)

 

Our little moose sighting!!

Good Morning Steamboat...

The "Eagles Nest"...where we stayed 

Heading to town on an adventure... Ok, it was really just for coffee and souvenirs but everything felt like adventure on this trip!

DJ made dad's famous beer batter pancakes for breakfast!

My brother and I

Beautiful scene near town...

And here's when we finally made it up the mountain...

I will save some of the more personal images for ourselves but I did read a little something and we all said a few words. Here's what I read, "Into the freedom of wind and sunshine, we let you go. Into the dance of the stars and planets, we let you go. Into the wind's breath and the hands of the star maker, we let you go. We love you, we miss you, we want to you be happy. Go safely, go dancing, go running home." It fit the scene and the person, if you knew my dad at all. I am so thankful for this experience. It gave me a great sense of peace knowing we fufilled dad's wishes! 

Tea Barn Wedding Fair Hill, MD

While I am still processing a bit about my week, I wanted to share this beautiful spring wedding with you on the blog today! There are so many DIY elements to this wedding, I loved all the simplicty and beauty of it. The setting was a beautiful spring day with an outdoor ceremony at the Tea Barn. Brian and Kristin had a beautiful day to celebrate their love with family and friends! Enjoy!

Monday Confessions, Welcome Spring

Well hello 73 degrees and sunny! I cracked up at myself earlier thinking "my weather finally matches my iphone's weather app icon - which always says 73 & sunny!" Loving it...so what do I need to confess on this Monday?

1. It was the last day of the spring Free Dunkin' Donuts Iced Coffee and I tried the new butter pecan flavor, enjoyed it!

2. I did a 20 min Turbo Jam workout this morning to get the blood flowing. I haven't tried any of the rest of that set but it was a good 20 mins! I will count the rest of the kid chasing today as a workout. 

3. I teach tonight and the lesson is one of my favorites to teach but it's so hard to do...food photography! Have any of you ever tried it? It falls into the category of "WAY harder than it looks." I love the Pioneer Woman's blog about food and life. Any other fabulous food blogs I should know about?

4. Those of you that are local will remember that our local Friendly's burned down last summer. It was super sad for our kids especially because they loved to go there! It was sad for us because it was one of our fav family friendly options. The good news is the grand re-opening is next week, just in time for ice cream season! (I think it being closed saved me some calories though). 

5. I currently have dualing crock pots going for tonights dinner. On teaching nights it can be especially hard to get dinner on the table basically when my husband walks in the dorr and I leave for class. It's a simple meal though with meatball sandwiches and Paula Deen's crock pot mac-n-cheese (a recipe I literally now know by heart :)

6. We spent the morning at the park already with friends. It was lovely to get out but do playgrounds give other mothers anxiety?! Trying to watch 3 kids that go in 3 different directions makes me sweat. Thankfully with friends we can play more of a zone defense and keep kids covered. I learned a little lesson in trust today though, allowing Dean to play a little farther away from me with a new friend that he made. It was hard but I am glad he was allowed a little freedom and handled it well. The other mom he was near said he listened well and was respectful to her son while they played. Maybe something is sticking after all?!

Macy and her new shades from Mimi! (don't mind the hair, it had a head band until the sunglasses. sometimes a girl has to choose :)

7. Last week was kiddos' spring break so we had many adventures to fill our days. One of them was to the Herr's Snack Factory where the kiddos saw all their favorite snacks being made! We had a blast, including hot chips right off the production line. (not the best picture, it happens to photographer moms too....don't worry friends :)

 

Alright friends, I have a MOUNTAIN of editing to get to between weddings and mini sessions. I will just feel the breeze from my windo while kids nap! Enjoy your week!

 Update: Proof that I am indeed in front of my computer working on this gorgeous day :)

A sneak peek from this weekend's mini sessions!
 

Tuesday Confessions

If you wonder how on earth I missed yesterday's confessions let me tell you! We had a jam packed weekend including me photographing a wedding on Saturday, our truck breaking down with Matt and all 3 kids in it, a full Easter morning with church, egg hunt, family and then an Easter dinner, towing broken truck....among other things! (Sorry for the stream of bad grammar). Anyhow, just keeping it real.

The craziness continued into yesterday morning while piling all 3 kids in the van at 7am in jammies to take Matt to work. You know the old, "if i don't want to be stuck without a car today, we need to go drop him off." It just went from one thing to the next yesterday and although most of it was just daily life, it did include some fun with friends. I think sometimes the daily life stuff is what can overwhelm us the fastest.

Here's a snapshot of us on Easter all dressed for church, thanks to our kind neighbor!

(I was freezing, not sure what happened to that sunny & 60 degree forecast!)

This is more realistic....

Love these crazy kids that made me a mom.... (for the record, Max was busy running around the yard and didn't want any pictures!)

So my real confession is that when life gets crazy, take some deep breaths and try to enjoy the people around you. There was a lot going on yesterday, I thankfully had some good friends to support me and remind me what's important. Things will be busy, cars will break, things will go wrong, but your family and good friends are the treasures of life!

Hope you had a great Easter and are enjoying a fun spring break week!

Monday Confessions, SNOW?!

I have to admit, I have been a cynic when it comes to the weather predictions lately. I assumed that nothing would be falling from the sky when we woke up but I couldn't be more wrong! There's at least a couple inches out there and it just keeps coming! 

1. I confess, I still love snow....even in March on occassion. 

2. I just made a baked oatmeal dish for breakfast and it was yum! I have tweaked my recipe a bit but here's a similar version.  Here was a quick pic of my delish breakfast! It was hard to stop eating...

3. I have my fingers crossed that class gets canceled tonight...although the teacher in me knows it's spring break next week so two weeks off might curse the class momentum we have built. 

4. I started making my own K-cups with the aptly named "Keurig My K-Cup" and I haven't been dissapointed! I bought a bag on sale of a Starbucks blend at the grocery store and it's the bag that just keeps on giving! It's a little more prep time but not much and it's totally less expensive. 

5. Pardon the potty humor but this made me laugh out loud! This is pretty much my life these days :)

6. I am reading about four different books at once right now and having trouble committing to any one of them. A few are off to slow starts but I am going to try to commit and dive in so I can pass along a review or two. We shall see if I get uniterrupted reading time?!

7. We had a great palm Sunday service yesterday at church which included some great singing from the children. It was a precious reminder of all that is to come this week in preparing our hearts for Easter. If you are in the DE area and don't have a church home, we would love for you to join us at LifeHouse next Sunday! Check out details here.

Wishing you a blessed week and don't forget your free Dunkin Iced Coffee today if you venture out! I know, something silly about iced coffee in the snow but hey, it's free and delish :) Happy Monday!

Monday Confessions

Hey friends, the weeks just keep passing us by! I am sorry that there hasn't been much photography centered content lately and you are stuck hearing about my life. Admittedly, winter is usually quiet for most photographers. I thankfully have already started my wedding season but am holding off on sharing some of those due to focusing on trying to get some work published. This is one of my goals for 2013, to make an effort to get published more. 

1. So speaking of goals for 2013, what were some of your goals and resolutions because we are almost a fourth of our way through the year! I promised to get more organized and although it hasn't been a magic wand effect, I am slowly but surely working on different areas of my life and home to organize. I confess that my closet is still a headache for me because of it's small, odd shape. I did, however, do some cleaning out and organizing in the closet on Saturday and now can better see what I actually own!

2. I confess a new slight obession with buffalo chicken dip! My friend made it a party recently and I stole her recipe. I have been working on perfecting it to our likes and the hubs is a big fan! Is this a recipe you friends might want? Let me know and I will share :)

3. Working out was another goal for the new year. I wanted to get back on track with doing a legit workout at least 3 times a week. I have been doing so much better at this the last 4 weeks or so. Today, even though I am a little under the weather, I pushed through and got a workout video done while kids played around me. I have realized that as a mom, nothing gets done without major intentionality. It's too easy to let things slip! Taking care of myself means I can take better care of everyone else!

4. Don't forget your free Iced Dunkin today...I confess I can't wait for mine! I have been saving it and getting it before class in the evening. My favorite combo lately has been the caramel iced coffee with just cream. The caramel makes it sweet enough for me! It gets me through my 6-10pm night class!

5. Like most moms, I confess I have grocery store woes. I try to plan so that I don't have to go there multiple times a week but it just never seems to work out that way for me. I also like to go when the store is less crowded but that usually means going with my little helpers who aren't always the best "help" in the grocery store. We made a dash in this morning for juice, milk and fresh produce. It felt like a major workout just for that 15 min excursion! Any moms have good grocery strategies? Other times I just punish myself and go at 9pm to avoid crowds and kids :)

6. I am just one month from what would've been my dad's 60th birthday. There's not a day that passes that I don't think about him. We are actually going to travel to his favorite place on earth, Colorado, to spread his ashes next month. It's hard to think about but I know I better start preparing my heart for the journey. (I also prepared myself by purchasing a cute winter hat on clearance yesterday at EMS :)

7. The twins have been off their rockers today. This mornings shenanigans included a game where they were both barking dogs, which I was not a fan of. Other games today have included wrestling and running. The funniest came after lunch when Macy was playing the "mommy" and Dean was playing her pet guinea pig "Bobo." I really don't know where they get this stuff....other than the fact we visited the pet store yesterday and have been getting hounded about animals ever since!

8. Here's a peek at our trip to see the Easter bunny, as you can see the youngest Troutman wanted nothing to do with that larger-than-life bunny!

9. I am going to leave you with a great video I came across this past week. Some of you know of our love for the show Duck Dynasty. We stumbled upon it during the first season and it quickly became our favorite show. We are not alone because it just recently took over the top spot for any reality based shows. It's wonderful that a goofy show about a family with values is sitting at the top! They have stayed true to their values and not wavered, I believe God is honoring that as they honor him. If you have questions about Jesus, especially as these next couple weeks leading into Easter, check out Phil's story here on this video. 

I hope you have a great week ahead friends and I will see you back here next Monday!

Monday Confessions

Yet another Monday already around here! How was your weekend? We enjoyed every bit of the beautiful weather we finally got here.

1. I confess, I am SO READY for spring and not a fan of the fact that there's more snow in the forecast later this week! I thought the ground hog said early spring?!

2. We have spots open still for mini sessions on April 6, shoot me an email if interested!

3. I am loving a fresh scent from Victoria's Secret, it's called Pure Seduction. Now never you mind about the saucy name...it's just a yummy, fresh scent of sweetness! If you need a pick me up, this is a nice one. And if you know me anyway, you know my husband has no sense of smell...so nice fragrance is only for my enjoyment!

4. I have banana chocolate chip muffins in the oven as I write because I had three overly ripe bananas that needed a good fate! I love the smell coming from the kitchen right now!

5. We have been dealing with some sickness over the last week, it's mostly been little Max. It's no fun especially because he's been a little bit of a bear and not really eating much. Hope this week brings healing!

6. I have been day dreaming about Shamrock Shakes

7. I have also been good about my commitment to exercise at least 3 to 4 times a week right now. I have been mixing it up between Zumba and Insanity workouts. It's been good for me!

8. Anyone else been catching The Bible series on History channel? I don't think it's award winning acting or anything but it's really neat how it brings the bible to life in ways we may not have imagined before. Definitely check it out next SUnday night if you haven't yet, I think it's nice timing with Easter on it's way!

9. Don't forget your free iced coffee today my Dunkin friends!

Hugs and prayers for a great week!

Monday Confessions

Happy March to all of you! Only 16 days until the official first day of spring...and of course here in the Northeast, we have snow in the forecast for Wednesday! It's Monday and time to confess....

1. I confess that I am ready to break up with winter. We are done, my feelings of love towards winter are gone. I am ready for sunshine, warmth and flip flops! 

2. SO speaking of spring, it's time for mini sessions! I has been toying with the idea and thought, why not?! Details in image below, it's first come, first serve and $25 deposits are NON-refundable. I am still debating on location but it will be somewhere between Newark & Middletown, message me if you have an idea for a great spot that doesn't charge an entrance fee!

3. I am currently obsessed with anything polka dot or striped. I have always loved a good nautical type striped shirt for spring but I am almost scaring myself with how many striped and polka dot items I am collecting. Hope they never go out of style :)

4. Speaking of style, I had a GREAT find at Target last week. This beautiful bag has already gotten tons of compliments and "where did you get that?" The color is just as great in person and the texture is soft like leather (not sure that it is real leather though). Price was $34.99, can't complain about that either!

5. I am starting to look into activities for preschoolers for the spring and summer. I really want to get a thing or two the twins can be involved in because once school is out, they will miss interacting with all their little friends. I will also miss having planned activities for them :) If you know of a good little soccer league, gymnastic tumbling class or anything else fun for two almost-4-year-olds, let me know!

6. Free Iced Coffee Mondays are back at Dunkin Donuts, who's cheering with me?!

7. Many of us find ourselves on pinterest, wondering if we will ever use any of these ideas we pin. Who has actually used it to make a project or cook a recipe lately?! I have!! Just made these muffins today and they were super yummy. What have you tried lately that you liked??

8. I am currently reading Duck Commander Family by Willie and Korie Robertson. If you're a fan of Duck Dynasty, you should definitely check it out. It's their honest story of how they got where they are and it has not been without a lot of hard work. If you've never checked out the show, it's on Wednesday nights and it's definitely great for a laugh! My copy is even borrowed from my local library :)

Hope you have a great week!

Monday Confessions

Today's true confessions....

1. I am wearing sweat pants and hoop earrings. I pray that the hoops distract from the sweats but I realize that my efforts already failed when my 3 year old son just told me that I cannot go out in sweats. "You need jeans Mommy"

2. Where are we going on a Monday you ask? Our favorite place, Chick Fil-A does a Monday morning Mommy & Me with crafts and play time. It's the best thing going if you ask me, mostly because my kiddos play and I drink a cup of coffee!

3. This is a season of restlessness for me. I am weary but hopeful....feels a lot like how I feel at the end of winter most years. I yearn for the sun, warmth and the hope that spring always brings!

4. I booked my flights for Colorado next month...a trip to spread my dad's ashes on what would've been his 60th birthday. I am sure I will write more on this later as I begin to process it. It's mostly just hard for me to believe he's been gone almost 2 years from this year. 

5. As you know, my Grandma turned 85 this past week. I gave her a gift of two empty journals and told her to write. I want her to write her precious memories down as they come to her. She is full of wonderful wisdom that I don't want to lose! I am excited to see what she pens in the months and years to come! Here's "GG" blowing out her birthday candles with Max helping!

6. I got a coupon in the mail for a free Dunkin coffee for my birthay month...you would've thought i hit the lottery the way I acted when I got it out of the mailbox! Sometimes it really is the small things, isn't it?!

7. Are you in the local DE area and have some gently used prom or bridesmaids gowns you would like to donate? There's an awesome charity called the "Formal Dress Project" here in DE that accepts them as donations (tax deducitble) and then sells them very inexpensively to lower income high school girls that need dresses for formals. I love this idea of spreading the love and making everyone happy! Check it out here. 

8. What are some recent good reads? I am in a reading lull but need get into something other than the parenting books I am constantly perusing! 

9. I am currently in a "decorations" in between...not wanting to put our Easter decor yet and I don't really feel like messing with shamrocks. It just seems weird to do Easter and spring decor while its 37 out but I might just have to go with it since Easter is just about a month away! What are you friends doing with  your mantels, etc?

10. I decided yesterday that there are two things that are always full in our house: the kitchen trash and our hamper. Despite me emptying them what feels like all the time, they're always full!

Ok friends, that's all for now and I pray you have a wonderful week, full of the hope that is to come! 

A Tribute to my Grandmother on her 85th

You've heard that saying "the best thing since sliced bread?" Well it's funny you see because sliced bread came out the same year as my Grandma, 1928. In July of 1928 the Chillicothe Baking Co in Missouri was the first to sell bread sliced. It's funny to think of this as a "modern" notion in the era of ipads, internet and Starbucks drive throughs. My Grandma, Vernalee, turns 85 today. I love spending time with her, she still leads a VERY FULL life. I have always taken for granted that she will have her birthday 10 days after mine, but this year has made me pause and reflect. I also should point out that my middle name, Rose, was after her middle name. 

To call my Grandma "strong" would probably be an understatement because her strength is reflected in so many ways. Some things I think of when I think of her.... strength, perseverance, peach butter, sewing machines, love, joy, faithfulness, and so much more. She's definitely someone you want on your good side because she will be the best advocate you ever have! She can whip you up a pie or dress, depending on your need that day. 

When she is in the spirit to tell a tale, you might hear a story or two about growing up on a farm in Kansas during the Great Depression with four brothers. Two of her brothers were twins, 5 years younger than her, so she gets a giggle now and then about me dealing with my twins. She tells tales of teaching in a one room school house, putting cardboard inside your shoes to keep them going long after the soles go out or her hatred for corn bread "because that really meant you were down and out." I have had the privelege of growing up close to all my grandparents. Thankfully, my dad owned a hardware business with his parents so I saw them almost every day after school and lots on weekends. I grew up watching my Grandmother work hard as a book keeper (& much more) in the hardware store. She has also long been a community advocate and did things like "Business and Professional Women's Club" as I was growing up. You will laugh to know she still has many weekly meetings between community volunteering, her rotary club, church, etc. I have learned a lot from her about being confident, not taking no for an answer and "when the going get tough, the tough get going." 

I have far more memories than a blog post can contain but I think it's important that when someone leaves a legacy in your life, you should tell them. I am going to tell her that I have precious memories of just spending time with her and my grandfather. I can barely breathe when I think about the fact that I will some day exist on this earth without her so I had an idea for this birthday... I want to give her a journal to write her stories down in. I want to remember everything even when she's not here to remind me. She is a part of the "greatest generation" and it's no accident! She has lived and loved and lost much, yet she presses on and makes the most of every day. She's every part of the American Dream, working hard to create success, etc. Even at 85 she texts with me, yet says things like "After you ride in the back of a model T or a farm wagon, you learn not to get car sick." I hope I can be an ounce of who she is!

I have a few photos to share... I would also say that my love of photography started as a kid looking at all the pictures she and my grandfather had from growing up. It was rare that they had so many for relatively "poor" families. It was fascinating to look at these images. 

This was her on the far right with her family in Kansas (not sure of the year but she was a teenager)

Here's one from when my dad was small, he's the little guy :) I think this is Dallas in the 1950's, so classy!

This is me with her in 1983 (I was 2 :) Don't be jealous of the mustard couch and chevron crochet!

And this was in more recent years when my Grandfather was still with us... They were just shy of their 65th wedding anniversary when he passed away. 

I feel like this post is so inadequate but I thought it better to try than to not....all my love to you on your birthday Grandma Frey! 

Birthday Fun

This past Sunday was my birthday as some of you know. I had a fun little adventure as a part of it that I just wanted to share with those of you not on facebook, with some fun images from the weekend from a friend photographer, Amber Shader. I have to say, her reputation precedes her and I have always heard good things about her. I then heard about her lovely boutique, First and Little, opening in town and had yet to be in until this past weekend when she gave me a great excuse, a Matilda Jane trunk show! Amber hosted a lovely MJ trunk show, complete with lots of fun and cake pops. It was a great little event to take my little fashionista to. Amber was even kind enough to snap head shots for little girls who were making purchases! (You KNOW I made a purchase for my little princess :) So all in all...I thank Amber for being kind and welcoming, it will continue to take her a long way in her business. I also thank Matilda Jane for making beautiful clothing that is even fun to photograph!

Love this one too... (it was a little chilly out so we had to do some convinving!)

Happy Valentines week friends! 

Monday Confessions

Well it's back to reality this morning after a fun birthday yesterday! Here goes this week's confessions and please don't think I have totally fallen off my photography wagon...we kick off our wedding season this weekend :) 

1. Speaking of that wedding...there is currently snow in the forecast! I pray it's just enough to make pretty pictures and not too much to make a mess of travel for my sweet friends getting married! 

2. I have always loved me some yoga pants and I now understand the utter love for Victoria's secret pink's yoga pants...I got my first pair yesterday and they're absolutely heavenly and a nice length for a tall girl!

3. I remembered today that I have a coupon for a free Dunkin' cup of coffee, it really is the small things isn't it?!

4. You all that read my twitter probably know that I have a love for Chick-Fil-A. I not only like the food, but I love the "Chick-Fil-A way" they treat people and do things! Our local CFA has a Monday morning "Mommy and Me" that we are headed to shortly. There's a craft for kiddos and free milk & cookie with a meal purchase. It's really a perfect way to spend a little bit of a rainy Monday morning and get out of the house!

5. I am currently considering a permanent ban of the game Hungry Hungry Hippos in our house! The twins love the game but it's the loudest game ever, especially in the morning. 

6. I am late to the party but just got Chris Tomlins new Burning Lights album and it's great. If you need some fresh, God-centered music in your life, definitely make the purchase and you won't be sad! Through my work in college ministry I have met Chris and his band on different occasions and they're the real deal!

7. I really am tired of wiping kids noses...but it occurred to me as soon as we are done cold season, it will start allergy season. Here's to boxes of Kleenex!

8. What are you all doing to celebrate Valentines Day? Or as I used to call it when I was single, "Single Awareness Day?" :) Thanks to my generous mother-in-law, the hubs and I are looking forward to a dinner out!

9. I highly recommend getting Just Dance 4 for your Wii if you don't have it yet! Super fun for just the people in your house but also a great game to play with a group! We laughed our heads off playing with our families last night when we had them over for birthday dinner. 

10. I am truly blessed and trying to remember that! I am praying for 31 to be a great year. When I say great, I don't just mean full of good things but truly full of joy, even when things are hard. 

I will leave you with a Valentine :) XOXO

Tuesday Confessions

If you haven't ever heard "Don't stop believing" in the cello...you're really missing something! Dallas String Quartet brings it with i's string rendition! What the heck am I talking about that for?! Well it's confession time... I am SO a day late and a dollar short but will attempt to share with you the joys of my crazy day. 

1. I did not confess yesterday because I literally did not stop moving from 7am until 10pm, with a breif few minute interlude of Downton Abbey to lift my spirits amid the chaos! The day included a play date, oil change, trip for all 3 to the doctor, teaching night class and even more just daily stuff...

2. Good news is I survived until today! I even had the pleasure of a meeting with a photographer friend this morning. She's sweet as pie and such a great encouragement, check out her work and life here at Jeni Brower. 

3. I have put down the "French Kids Eat Everything" temporarily because it was frustrating me a bit. It's always good to dig at your personality and motives occassionally but I was kind of getting frustrated that I wasn't French, so how was this going to work? I might pick it back up again soon. 

4. I started also reading "Promised One" with a bible study group. I am excited to read it because it's showing how Jesus is revealed in the old testament, specifically the book of Genesis. If you've never read Genesis, whew, it's saucier than a daytime soap! It's amazing that such flawed people have such a gracious God that would send us a redeemer! Looking forward to studying this over the next 10 weeks. 

5. I turn 31 on Sunday...enough said...depression setting in :) 

6. I have been eating eveything in sight. I think I need to break up with food. I think I have used food for comfort lately...so not a good habit/pattern to get into. 

7. When I am done typing this, I am going to go sweat to a workout video. Have not yet decided which one, but something that produces a sustained sweat and will help burn calories of the aforementioned food. 

8. I am now booking for spring, so if you think you're intersted, just send me a line. emily@emilytroutmanphoto.com I know "spring" seems light years away, but it's not. It's already February friends and i already have certain dates filled with weddings, etc!

9. What cute Valentines are you all whipping up for your kiddos to share? Or purchasing, I should say? :) I might totally go the purchase route and save myself all the mom guilt and hassle. My twins are in preschool after all....I can save the mom guilt for later :)

10. In case you missed my tweets on Saturday night, the hubs and I went on a double date with friends and it was much needed! We found out though that good old juvenile fun was just what the doctor ordered! Lazer tag ( we were out of breath) and bowling (our style/form were ridiculous) was SO MUCH CAREFREE FUN. Go this weekend, I urge you :)
 

I definitely thank Jesus for this girl!! She's the best friend a girl could ask for!

Have a great week friends!

Monday confessions

Every kids dream...we woke up to snow! I am still a kid at heart and love this too!

1. Speaking of snow, we have certainly had some crazy weather this winter. I confess, it makes me a little crazy! It's snowing today and supposed to be 61 on Weds?!

2. I just made mashed potatoes at 8am because I am going to use them later in a shepherd's pie. I know this sounds bonkers but I say use the times when you're more motivated and less tired to get things done. At 8am after a cup of coffee, it seemed like a great idea to meal prep for later because I teach tonight.

3. I am looking forward to my second class of the semester as long as this crazy weather holds out. I always love to see the first projects and start to get to know my students through their artistic visions. 

4. I confess that I watched all of Downton Abbey Season 3 ahead of time but am revisiting them as they play here in the US. (Spoiler Alert) What did you think of last night's episode? Did you see it coming?! Definitely a shocker! Who cried?!

5. I am reading an intriguing book, French Kids Eat Everything, which is basically a wonderful story of a family moving from Vancouver to France, where many cultural divides occur. The author explores the challenges she faced as a mother exposing her kids to new things, especially the French food culture. I am really enjoying the read as she compares and contrasts why French children can sit at a table well behaved for over two hours while American children are often prodded to "hurry up and eat." It's making me think about lots of things, but especially the food education of my children. I am hoping to put some new "rules" in place when I am done reading this book!

6. I confess the very writing of this blog post is dependent on my children coloring nicely on some valentine pages I printed off for them. Need a snow day activity too? Go here. Are you doing any cute valentines with your kiddos this year?

7. I would like to understand why my 3 year old son was wide awake at 5:45am on Saturday yet chose to sleep until 6:45 today? It always seems to work against us! We are trying hard to stay on a family sleep schedule to keep everyone fairly well rested. 

8. I tried my first Zumba class last week, complete with wearing a jingly belly dancing type skirt. It was definitely a fun experience and I am going to try to go again this week. Fitness has been so hard for me since becoming a mom, I still love it but rarely find time to go to the bathroom alone, much less get in a workout! This crazy weather isn't helping either for those of us that are fairweather runners/joggers :)

9. Who can really believe that January is almost in the books?! I can't....I turn 31 in two weeks. Yikes...

I will leave you with a few fun pictures from last week's snow!

Have a great week!

Monday Confession

Hey friends, we find ourselves at the beginning of another new week! Today is special because it is both the innauguration ceremonies and Martin Luther King Day. I feel today that instead of all my usual musings, I will leave you with one powerful quote to ponder as we continue to embark on new territory as a people and a nation.