Catholic Schools Week Begins

Today marks the beginning of Catholic Schools week, which is always a fun week for the students, parents, teachers, and everyone involved in Catholic Schools.
I had a photo shoot at the Botanical Gardens, which 2 very cute little girls who were celebrating their 2nd and 5th birthdays!  I have to say they were precious and their outfits were just tutu cute for words.  One day I will catch up on my other blog and I will go into so many details.
After the Gibbs girls photo shoot I did a quick shoot with the boys.  They were in their uniforms for Mass so I took advantage and got a few cute pictures of them.  They are not the easiest subjects to photograph.  They are way too accustomed to having a camera in their face.  Oh well, it is always fun and I got a few cute ones.

We headed to Mass after the photo shoot.  They were proud to be in their uniforms with so many of their classmates.  They are proud to go to Catholic School and I am proud to send them there.  I pray that we can continue it.

TGIF

This morning I took the boys to school and high tailed it to Morris Avenue for a couple of photo shoots.  The first was a family who was a blast to wor with.  They did candid and fun and there were even balloons!  It was a lot of fun.  The second was an precious boy who will be celebrating his fifth birthday in a week.  So exciting for a little man. 
The boys had a great day at school.  You can tell that they are ready for break though.  Homework is becoming a challange, and even just sitting down to read which they both usually like to do.
After school care was great too.  The kids were glad that it was Friday and since it was so pretty we stayed outside for a little while.  It was a much needed change in routine for everyone.  Of course it gets dark so early we cannot stay out long but still it helps time go by faster for the kids and adults alike. 
Just for the record I have still not seen the newest Twilight movie, that makes me a little sad. 
We are almost ready for the party tomorrow.  I cannot wait.  It is my favorite time of the year and I love kicking it off with just a have fun relaxed party. 

Seriously

So I am slammed with photo shoots which is a blessing that I do not take lightly.  I drop the boys off and head off to Morris Avenue to start my day.  I am waiting there when I finally get a text that they need to cancel.  Grrrrr!  This is the hardest part about owning a business.

Ornaments Are Hung

I had to start today with a few photo shoots on Morris Avenue, but it was not all day.  I was able to get home by two which is a blessing in itself. 
The neighborhood was decorating the tree at te Club House and wanted all of the neighbors to bring an ornament to hang on the tree.  We took an ornament that was a star and had the Holy Family.  It is really pretty and the boys hung it on the tree when we got there.  I hope that they do this every year.  I love these little things that can become tradition. 

There are so many reasons that I love living in Legacy Springs and it seems that each season another reason or two is added. 

Working it Out

So today was a full day of photo shoots on Morris Avenue.  It was a beautiful day for it.  I was even able to grab a couple of shots for me personally and the alphabet that I am always working on expanding.  Can you tell what letter it is?

Today  John Michael's last soccer game and missing it broke my heart, but he understands.  Momma has a job to do and she cannot let her clients down.  I just hope with all that I have in me that I did not let him down.  I never want to let my boys down in any way.

Brandon spent the day retrieving the Christmas decorations.  This was the only day that he could do it.  Danny stayed and helped him out.

Mom picked John Michael up and took him to a birthday party.  It was at Skate Station in Trussville and it has been a long time since my mom went to a skating party.  She was pooped, but it meant so much to me that she took him.  I know that it meant a lot to John Michael too and to Gracie.  Happy Birthday Gracie! 

When we all got home it was time to unload and find somewhere to put all of the decorations.  While we were not 100% successful we also know that in a few weeks it will be time to get it all out and turn our home into a Chirstmas wonderland!  I cannot wait. 

Another Day

I know that God wants us to rest on Sundays, but lately they have been so busy that I am actually looking forward to Mondays.
Between Baseball, photo shoots, editing, the house, school work and having to worry about the weather because of photo shoots it just never seems to end anymore. 
I was hoping to go to the Indian Festival at Aldridge gardens but that just did not work out.  Maybe one of these days it will happen and I will be able to do something fun and different with the family.  That would definitely be nice. 

Good Bye August

So I cannot believe that it is the last day of August.  Seriously 2012 has been full of ups and downs and all arounds, but it has flown by.
I am definitely excited that this weekend is a long one.  I need a day with the family and I am hoping we can sort of have a lazy long weekend.  We have things to do this weekend, but they should all be fun. 
The boys had a great day at school today.  Danny had an Alabama History project due and he picked Springville to do it on, which I thought was pretty awesome.  He talked about our house, the drive we have, the city itself and most importantly his pop's butcher shop and the king!  For those of you who do not know who the king is please go by The Choppin' block and Springville and find out. 

Work was great, the kids were definitely ready for the weekend.  It has been a long few weeks for them I think and the general anticipation of the weekend.

Tonight there was a blue moon, basically the second full moon of the month.  Mom says I am living up to the reputation of the full moon.  I was trying to learn how to howl.  Why not add another skill to the resume.  Plus I am pretty bumbed.  I found out I am waiting three more weeks for a paycheck.  Things are just tight and seem to be getting tighter.  I keep telling myself that this too shall pass, but I also know that I really need to find either another part time job, get more sessions booked, or find a full time job.  I am hoping that I can get some more sessions booked with fall coming up and I have several different specials coming out too.  Prayers that they all drive in some more business.

Well, I am off too bed.  I am super glad that the blog is now caught up, I still have to catch up the other one, but I will get there.  One thing at a time.  I am determined not to stress anymore, and just do what I can as I can.  It all always seems to get done anyway. 

So excited about tomorrow!!!

Change of Plans

So the rain all night last night and this morning meant cancelations for photoshoots this morning.  It is never good when it happens, but I just cannot control the weather, trust me if I could I would.  I definitely have a preference for photo shoots and for days off.  I did take advantage of the day and spent a good bit of time editing.  I still have so much to do, but I am running on a close schedule. 
We took complete advantage of the cool rainy day.  After the rain was done, Brandon finished up the last flower bed.  It looks really good and as soon as we get some money to add flowers and bushes to it will look really amazing.  We are also going to get my hydrangea bush from the old house, which really makes me happy.  I love that bush so much and was super sad that it was going to stay.  Now if only I could convince him that the tulip bush should be moved.  Hmmm....I will work on that. 

The boys washed mom's van and Brandon's truck.  My van really needs it, but since it took two hours for those two mine will have to wait for next weekend.

I had a good bit of homework too so that took up a good bit of the day.  I would love not to have to stress and in about a year I will not know what to do with all of the extra time I have.  Maybe my doctorate?  Hmmm....again something to ponder.

Driveway and Toilets

So today was a busy one.  The boys and I headed to Aldridge Gardens for two photo shoots.  I am always worried when there is more than one with the boys.  They usually do pretty good, but I know that they get bored.  These were both great sessions and the boys were a huge help!  Stay tuned to http://www.monicaannephotography.com/ and I will update it as soon as possible with all of the amazing shoots I have been on lately.
Since the boys were so amazing I took them to Krispy Kreme as a treat.  They love going inside and watching them make the doughnuts.  We went inside and each had one, of course we had to bring some home.  We even surprised Brandon and Nick with some at work.  Every once in a while I try to do something nice.
We headed home to get some work done.  Even though we did not get as much done as I hoped we made some more progress.  Tomorrow I am hoping to get more pictures for eBay.  I almost have everything listed that I have taken pictures of so it is time to get more pictures. 
Brandon got home and we headed to the new house.  He was putting the thresholds down while we were there.  We had a driveway and a sidewalk, I was a little sad that we did not get to put our hands in it.  We are going to make something though.  They had also put in the toilets, which is always good to see happen.  The fixtures for the sinks, baths, and showers were all in too.  So so excited to see all of the progress.  Hoping that the landscapers do not try to screw us.  We will see.

Danny had practice, it was relatively short so we headed to the store and then home.  Well, I am ready for bed.  I am looking forward to getting there before tomorrow morning! 

Never a Day for Rest

Sunday seems to be one of the busiest days of the week and this week was no exception. 

I had 2 shoots.  One on Morris Avenue and one at the Botanical Gardens.  I am hitting some serious brick walls with creativity and that is driving me insane.  I think it is because I am so stressed out and over whelmed.  I will get through this though, I know that I will. The boys came with me and even posed for a couple of pictures which was great and something that I needed for me. 

I have so much to think about and try to make decisions with.  I am just praying right now for a little guideance and a lot of support. 

Something about Wednesday

So today was the school Mass.  This is a great day for me as it allows me to reconnect with Jesus with my boys and all of the children at St. Francis. 
After Mass I had a photo shoot with the beautiful Ella Brooke.  She is 11 months old today!  She is so precious and we had a blast on Morris Avenue.  We even managed a few pictures of big brother Jacob!
After school Danny had Bible Bee with Mr. McCormick.  He loves Bible Bee days and I am so glad that they mean so much to him.
We headed to Aldridge Gardens as soon as he was done for another photo shoot.  This one is with the beautiful Andee, who was celebrating her first birthday!  The boys even posed for a quick picture, which is a rare occurrence!

After the photo shoot we hauled tail to Clay for John Michael's practice.  It was a great practice. 

Photo Shoots and Practice

So I am definitely glad that Monday came, which is not something I would normally say, but it is truly how I feel. I have been so busy this weekend, and I just needed some normalcy. While I am not sure that it was normalcy it was much closer to my schedule which is extremely important.
The boys had great days at school. John Michael started off the week and the month with a green face! I hope that he keeps it up. Danny finished up his testing, which I think made him pretty happy. I cannot believe that in two months I will have a 1st grader and a 4th grader. Time is seriously flying by.
I had two photo shoots today. One was at Morris Avenue and the other was at the Civic Complex in Gardendale. They both went great and I cannot wait to get started on them. Keep an eye out on my blog at www.monicaannephotography.com
The boys both had practice today. They ended up practicing till almost 8:30. That is REALLY late for us. I have so much to do even when I get home. Plus they are done after about an hour and a half so two and a half they were really done. Then we still had to have showers and all that fun stuff.
I spoke to the City of Clay and to one of the board members at the park to let them know about the A$@ that runs the concession stand. I can assure you of this the concession stand will be getting no business from me nor will Deerfoot Cleaners. More on that when I am not falling asleep typing. It has been a long one.
Know that you are all amazing to me and I cannot wait to see and hear about all of the wonderful things that are happening with you all!

Nothing New?

Danny's testing started today. He was so worried, when I explained that these tests would not effect his grades he seemed to relax a lot. He told me that he did great, which made me feel so much better! I do not like it when he worries.
After school I had a photo shoot at Aldridge Gardens. My boys were hoping to see snakes. I was hoping not to see any. They were pretty disappointed that we didn't, but it is what it is. We were definitely more aware of where we were and what was on the ground close by.
We headed home so we could head out to the new house where we are hoping that they have done something. We get there to see that everything still looks the same. I wish that they would get to work, I am so ready to see some changes. It is so exciting, but also so frustrating to just sit around and wait. We will not be able to head back for a few days so maybe it will be enough time for things to change.

My Daddy's Birthday

So today was a super hard day I am just glad that I was super busy.
Today was my daddy's birthday. I just want to have a day to spend with him. There is a country song about being able to visit heaven and I really wish it was possible. A day trip to see my dad and get one more hug or talk about absolutely nothing. He was such an amazing person and it break my heart that he is no longer here. God definitely showed me that He only takes the best when He decided to call my dad home. It seems so unfair that my children have to grow up without their Granddaddy who made them his life, I know that he would be so proud of them. I just wish that he could tell them that himself. There is not a day that goes by that I do not miss my dad, but I also know that the best way I can honor him is to be the best person I can be and to raise my children the best that I know how and that is what I am definitely trying to do.
I had back to back photo shoots today starting at 9:00. Stay tuned to the blog on my website for the newest sessions. www.MonicaAnnePhotography.com.
While I was working the boys' worked at the house around the yard. It looks great and I appreciate all of the work that they did so much! It was nice to come home to cut grass!

Drizzle Can Really Mess With Plans

So today started with some drizzly weather, which meant that the photo shoot I had scheduled this morning was off. It was not how I planned on the day starting, but it worked, because I went to Mass with the boys instead, which is what I love to do on Wednesday mornings.
The boys had a great day at school and I was able to accomplish a little at the house, so I am not complaining.
Batting cages tonight for John Michael's team and I swear I am so over buying a new bat every year. A loan for baseball season is not something that I am interested in. Do any of you remember when we were growing up and the parks provided bats, helmets, gear...all we needed was a glove and to show up. Then as we got older and stuck with it we got bats. That is so not the case anymore and it is so difficult to be financially prepared for March. Maybe next year I will be able to plan better.
The eBay listings are going pretty well. Now I have a stack of stuff on the couch that I need to photograph and get listed. Maybe that is what we will do Spring Break. I am sure that the boys will love that. Add to it the photo shoots that I have every day and it is going to be a busy Spring Break. My goal for next year is a vacation, even if it is a small short one.
Well, today is Brandon's Friday! We have so much happening this week and weekend it is going to be awesome! I cannot wait!

Non Stop Saturdays

So today was a very busy day for the photographer in the family. We started in Mount Laurel, my FAVORITE location and then ended in Hoover on the side of 31 by the Library. Yep, that crazy photographer by the huge tree was me! The clients wanted a big tree and this one seemed perfect!
We went to Mass after the photo shoot. I enjoy going on Saturday nights, especially when I am up all hours editing. Not having to set my alarm for 5 AM is nice. Plus I have not been hearing it at all lately and missing Mass is not something that I enjoy doing at all. I like it a lot when Saturday night Masses work out for us. We are all still getting use to the changes but slowly we are getting them. It definitely gets easier with each Mass. Breaking a 30 year habit is not very easy, but I will be able to though.
We contemplated the parent's night out that the 8th grade was hosting tonight, but we really were ready to come home and get to work, plus the boys were tired and ill.
Well, since I have been home I have been editing. If I get the session I am working on now done before tomorrow night I will be back on schedule, which is something I like to do. I have a lot to mail on Monday, but I will get that done. YAY for hard work.
Well, I am off. I have to edit and try to finish up a paper, but since it is going on 1 AM I am thinking bed. 5 shoots tomorrow!
Know that you are all in my thoughts and prayers!

Monday can Definitely be a Funday!!!!

This morning started off with me getting up when I wanted to which meant a workout, some me time, bills taken care of, laundry started, breakfast cooked, and the boys up and ready and to school on time. YAY! Hoping tomorrow will work out just as well. I like it when I can finish a pot of coffee before 7:30 AM. It makes for a great day!

While the boys were at school Brandon worked on the lights outside. It is always an ordeal getting them ready and he is GREAT at it. I am super proud of all the work he got done. I finished the laundry that I am doing the day and then headed back out for photo shoots. This is going to be a busy week for me. As a mom, wife, daughter, chef, taxi driver, chaperon, decorator, photographer, and student to name a few I am relying on very little time. Stay tuned to http://www.monicaannephotography.com/ for more on the photo sessions, some will be up soon, some not till after Christmas.

The boys had a great day at school. That is what I love to hear. Danny finished all of his homework in class and John Michael has a vacation from homework this week. So they were definitely in good moods. They came home and were super excited to help Brandon work on the lights. They love to help their Daddy and they love Christmas so getting help is never a problem. Such sweet boys.

While we did not get finished, we did end up at Lowe's for a few more extension chords. Brandon said as long as the rain holds off tomorrow he will be finished in a few hours. Then he will be able to help me. I am nowhere near a few hours away from being done. We still have three trees to get up and decorate. Not to mention everything else. It will happen though! There is really no other option so I am staying positive :0)

Well, I am off to bed, I was aiming for 11:30 at the latest but definitely did not make it. Will work on that tomorrow night. Know that you are all in my thoughts and prayers.