Fantasy of the trees

It has been a tradition for us since Caleb's first Christmas to visit the Fantasy of Trees. This is where we wait in the 2 week long line to see Santa...well not really that bad, but it is usually bad. We couldn't let the tradition die this year with it being Isabella's first Christmas. We had a good time, saw the trees, made our crafts and visited the big guy in the red suit. Isabella only enjoyed Mr. C for a short minute, but big brother was there to comfort her. At least I got a good picture before the tears. Mom and Mamaw went with me and it took us all to keep my little ones rounded up, but we got everything we went for accomplished. We were able to get Isabella's hand print on the oven mit by getting her to wave bye bye, then the lady would quickly paint her hand and we would both lay it down flat...group effort!! It was really cute. My Mom of course taking those priceless pics for me!! I was really excited to get both kids hands' on the oven mit this year, since this is another tradition I have done yearly with Caleb. Enjoy the pics!!

More Fall Party Fun

Caleb's First Fall Party

Look at all of the fun...

Caleb's b-day is in January and he has always wanted an outside party. So we gave him one, just not a b-day party. The kids wore costumes, we had a hay ride, games, food, and the kids seemed to have so much fun. I asked Caleb after it was over if he had fun and he said yes...he just wished it had lasted longer!!!

Fall Break at the Beach!!

Well here are a few of my favorites from our beach trip on fall break...I guess no one realized Joe had a talents behind the camera as well... Of course I set everything up for him but he got some really great shots of the kids and I, one I am using on my Christmas Cards...Its nice being in a photo, but I did the rest of the shooting...he was having too much fun. Anyway... We went to Panama City Beach and we had a great time. School has been rough this year so it was really nice to get away although I averaged grades, made plans and studied state standards all the way to FL and back...the time on the beach was nice. Plus Joe was gone so much last summer and I took the kids to Cocoa Beach before he came home from the Academy so we all enjoyed just being together. We dont get to do that often...just being together and it was really nice. I still have like 500 photos to go through before posting, not to mention I am about 3 shoots behind on Isabella. I manage to get the pictures taken and in my file but it is hard to fine time to go through them all and choose. Caleb just had a "fall" party last weekend and it was a lot of fun. We had like 22 kids running around my back yard in Halloween costumes, bobbing for apples, digging through hay, and just have fun. I think Joe begged to go to work so he wouldn't be here...lol!! He really missed out on the fun! I will try, I said try...to post pictures from party soon. Busy busy right now with school, pictures, and being mommy!! FYI Isabella ate sand and she seemed to like it!

Sissy in the Tub

It has been so long since I have posted anything I am so far behind. So these next few will probably be out of order. School starting back has really been challenging this year and I am just now feeling like I have my nose above water. I dont think it is having 2 kids or Joe being gone for work a lot that is the trouble, I think it is school. If you are a teacher you know what I am talking about, so to say it simple, I have my plate full. Anyway, We have finally finished our basement and it is beautiful. Since we have tub photos of Caleb upstair in the bathroom we decided to put Isabella in the new bathroom downstairs. This is what I came up with...she is 7 1/2 months old here. Joe and I are very proud of her.

Pre-K here I come...

Caleb was so excited for his first day of school. I must say I did pretty good, I wasn't a teary mommy, they were just shooing me away while I was trying to get yet one more picture. Of course Caleb and his sparkling personality was like MOMMY WHO? No, I would much rather him be social and ready to go then hooked to my leg crying not wanting me to leave him. I dont think I could handle that. Teaching first grade I have seen many K children really boo hooing and it is heart breaking for the kids as well as the parents. I am really proud of him. I look at these pictures and although I see him every day and I have been here for the last 4 1/2 years every day I almost do not recognize this growing energetic little guy that now uses complete sentences, such as, What did you say? I used to get "Hold you" while reaching his little arms up wanting me to pick him up. I remember the day he said "Hold me" and it BROKE my heart for I knew my baby was growing...that he is, every day no matter how hard I try to image he's not. I am so proud of him and I know this is just the beginning of the great things he is going to do in his life and in ours. Mommy loves you Bubba!!

Daisy May

Caleb has been wanting photos of him with our pets to sent to sprout and Gideon wasn't around when I had the camera out. I guess Daisy gets all the spot light. She was probably too lazy to run away. No really she has been sick and are having surgery done on her soon for bladder stones, so hopefully she will be more active soon. I know it hurts her feelings when people says she is fat. To let everyone know she is on a very strict diet from the vet. We love her the way she is. Isabella even gives her kisses. Caleb and I know better!!!

7 months...where did the time go

Yes!! My baby girl is 7 months old. I know, lets all take a minute, it makes my heart physically hurt to think about how fast she is growing and here again I look back and wonder where the time has gone. I absolutly cherished my summer. I think it was mainly because for the first time in a long time I was home with my family, my entire family. The other summers something was always going on, pregnant, Joe in Iraq, Joe in Iraq again, building the house pregnant, and now finally, husband home, house to call home, all babies here, and I purposely slowed down on photography. Still shooting some jobs but I am putting the hubby and babies first right now.

Anyway back to the topic, I really hated going back to work, not that I hate my job, I love teaching and my students, I just really love being a mommy and being home with my babies. But as always all good things must come to an end, I am now inspiring young minds once again and it has been hard and stressful. Caleb has started Pre-K so 5:30a.m. comes early for both of us...I let him sleep a little longer than me. Put he does not like getting up. He does however love school, and I think it is really going to be good for him.
Well my little girl is doing well at the moment with her tummy problems, now that we are on 2 different RX and special formula that cost like a million dollars, but her little tummy is worth every penny. She had not gained as much weight as the DR at Children's had hoped but she has hit the big 16lbs. 16.1 to be exact. It is so weird cause here Sissy is 16pounds at 7 months and Caleb was 20pounds at 4 months big difference between the two. She is so close to crawling lets just say she is. she gets where she wants sometimes on her belly, sometimes on her knee, and sometimes on her toes. I am beginning to think crawling might hurt her knees so she gets up on those toes and tries to walk on hands and toes. It is kinda funny looking, but I would never make fun of my daughter lol. She is so sweet and happy when she feels well and she absolutly LOVES and admires her big brother. She will go into a giggle fit kicking those feet and throwing those arms just by Caleb walking in the room. She thinks he is the best thing since peanut butter.

Caleb said the sweetest thing to mom tonight, he had went to her house to play and he said he wanted to take his bath at her house. She was like ok, but then he said that he wanted to take his bath at her house "so Mommy wont have to fool with giving me a bath and she can just sit and love on me" Does that not just make your heart melt. So that is what I did tonight, sit and love on him. We played cars and watched Sprout. Can't beat that for an exciting Friday night. It really meant a lot because my 4 year old isn't as lovey huggy as he once was, and I miss that. I guess I can still hold on alittle longer. I am so thankful. I am really blessed to have such a wonderful complete family. Here are a few pictures from the last few days, just hanging at the house!!

Our Little Ballernia

I had so much fun with this shoot...and I believe Isabella did too. I have to be honest though and admit it took me two different days of dressing her up and shooting to get what I was looking for. The first day I tried at the house and things were going great, Joe was working on finishing the basement, Caleb was helping and playing being really good, and I decided to walk down toward the water to get some shots. I laid Isabella down and headed back towards the house to get my camera and came back to this beautiful sleeping princess. I could not believe it! I usually have to really fight her for naps or bedtime...who would have thought, throw her on a quilt in the middle of the yard wearing nothing but a tutu and a hair band. Sadly enough, I wasted too much time looking at her in shock when I should have been pressing that shutter button, when it started to rain. Needless to say we had to pack up and call it a day. The next attempt I made sure she was well fed and rested up, with NO RAIN in the forecast...I got some great shots. Here are a few of my favorites. I can't believe my baby is 6 months already, and she is everywhere these days. Keeping her on that quilt was a challenge!!

My birthday present!!

Finally, family pictures!! and yes my b-day present from my precious husband, Of course I had beg pled and cry...not really, it wasn't that bad, but Joe really and I mean really hates pictures. I guess since he cleaned up and agreed to go he must really love me, and thank you sweetheart you did great. I haven't had time to go through the pics much since we got home late, but this one really stuck out to me. I love it!! Yes I know, to all the grandmothers and moms you want one with our faces and you will get one, but remember I am the chick with the 20x24 of my kid's feet hanging on the wall, so I like this back view different kind of stuff. This will most definately be hanging on my living room wall very soon. I have to thank the great Tom Geisler, for his talent behind the camera. Thank you Tom and your students they were a great help keeping the kids entertained...

My Big Girl Cup!!

Yes, Sissy has started on her sippy cup. I am doing her just like I did Caleb. Start off with juice in the cup, no more juice bottles, and then when she is good I will switch her formula over. I am a little behind with her though and Isabella isn't as easy going as Caleb was as a baby. He was drinking out of a straw at this age, and we haven't practiced that much yet with Miss Bella. I really try hard not to compare my children but they are so different...but yes we finally got our pretty little girl. Well we have alot of work to do fast, I took Caleb's bottle away at 8months old, but I dont think I will get to do that with Isabella, first she doesn't take a paci like Caleb did and like I said before, she is NOT as easy going. We will see...Mommy loves you, Sissy.

My baby girl

I just love this picture...Isabella was laying on our bed while I was getting ready and I noticed how pretty she looked, of course she always looks pretty, but this was a natural, innocent, precious got to grab my camera pretty. Joe and I are very blessed. First Caleb, the little stud that he is and now our beautiful baby girl Isabella. Her name really fits her, huh.

Sitting up

She is getting there. Isabella is 5 months old and is almost sitting up by her self. She can do it now with just a little help. She is very flexible, I am ready to sign her up for ballet or gymnastics...something, I guess all that laying around sucking on toes has paid off.

More 4th

Joe took Alyssa out of the jet ski for her first ride, she had a good time. OK Renea now one of us has to get a boat so we can all go!!

Photos from the 4th

Caleb and Alyssa running through the sprinkler...this was the only thing to get Caleb's mind off the hornet sting he had gotten earlier.

The babies, Cayden and Isabella, take a snooze while everyone enjoys the cookout.

The 4th

We had a great 4th this year! We had a cookout at the house with some close friends and family and then shot off fireworks with some friends that live two houses down by the lake. Of course Isabella slept through all of the fun stuff, that is what you do at 5 months old, but she would wake up periodically for some play time and cuddling. Funny on how most of the cuddling came from Joe's buddies...Caleb of course had a blast. Nothing is funner to a 4yr old than running through sprinklers, riding the jet ski and most of all BLOWING STUFF UP!!!

How fast they grow...

I was looking through some old pictures of the kids when I noticed how BOTH of my children have grown. Everyone expects Isabella to change so much, but what caught my eye was how much my little boy had changed. I was reminded once again, he isn't my baby anymore. He is turning into more of Daddy's little man, verses mommy baby boy. I don't know if I am ready for that. I just make sure I stop what ever I am doing to receive ever hug and kiss offered, although so many times those hugs and I love you's are his way of trying to get out of trouble. I know one day I wont be getting as many hugs and kisses. I just pray the Lord prepares my heart for that day. Each new milestone is exciting but yet sad, for the old ones we are leaving behind as only memories. Check out these two photos, look at how both of my babies have changes so much in just 5 short months.

BOYS and their TOYS

Joe and Caleb really bond when it comes to the jet ski, 4 wheeler, big trucks, and all the above. This is a photo taken Memorial Day weekend, Caleb helping his daddy load the jet ski up to pull it out of the water. I am so glad they have good times like these.

Pretty Girl!!

5 months old already! This is all happening way too fast. Our baby girl is now eating her veggies, jabbering and singing all the time, and is all hands. If it is close by watch out...Isabella has it in her slobbery little fist. Including the dogs. The other day I looked to see Gideon, our papillion struggling for freedom while Isabella laid near hold his front leg smiling from ear to ear.
Joe asks me all the time, do you think she will be pretty? I say look at her, what do you think. I guess he wants to make sure others are thinking the same thing he is, but yes we are a little bias, she is our pretty girl!!

Isabella at 4 months

These photos were taken just a few days before Isabella turned 4 months old. I am behind on post because she now 5 months old. We have just had so much fun this summer, no time to share...ha. I love taking photos of my children together, I can sit and look at these for hours, well not really I have two kids I dont have hours to sit around...I think you know what I mean. But really photos to me are priceless, they bring back such memories. I can think back on this very day the things Caleb said and what we did, it just gives me chills. It gets hard at times, but I truely know these are the best days of my life.

At the Beach!

Last minute mom and I decided to load up and take the kids to the beach. When I say last minute, that is what I mean. We were pondering the idea Friday night and Sat morning we were on the road, headed to aunt Mary's house just 10 minutes from Cocoa Beach! Caleb was ready. The kids traveled great. We only stopped twice on that 12hr road trip, I think that is pretty good to be traveling with a 4yr old and a 4month old. We went to the beach every day except for one, when we went to Sea World. We all got great tans and luckily no mosquitoes this trip. We all had a great time. Here are a few pictures!!