Picture Crazy?

My husband thinks I'm obsessed and I just think he's crazy! You see he laughs at me everytime day after day when I take my camera out. Something small will happen and I'll go straight for it. I always have it within my reach and never like it when I can't get to it quickly - I might miss something. I know it's not just me - I know there are others out there that take just as many pictures as I do and that are as completely obsessed as I have become over the years.

He makes fun of me though. I keep thinking to myself that one day he'll appreciate the fact that I have pictures of everything in our childrens lives including the day to day things that he continuously misses since he works such long hours but that day hasn't come yet. I have told him "30 years down the road you'll be thankful I took so many pictures." I'm not so sure about that but I hope the day comes that my camera as much as I do - or the byproduct of my camera.

I want to hold on to every single thing about these 4 little beings. I don't want to lose or forget one shread of it. I know I will - I have so much happening on a daily basis my brain will forget these little things so I take pictures. I can look at a picture from 5 years ago and remember everything surrounding that picture. I love that! I love that I can remember details that I otherwise would have forgotten. I love that I can sit down and browse through thousands among thousands among thousands of pictures anytime I want. They're growing up so fast - I want to capture everything I can now before it's gone forever.

Take these for example taken on the 4th - Allie was sooo not in the mood to have her pictures taken but I just clicked away regardless - you never know what you're going to get. I wouldn't trade them for anything bc she's being herself and that after all is what it's all about.

You can tell she's about to put a spring in her step - totally not feeling it today.

                                                                    There she goes ....

Really - how can you ever have enough pictures - there isn't such a thing as too many!!!!

I love how she's studying the blade of grass in this one - so intent and innocent!

And then my favorite of them all. The one that made taking all the other silly ones worthwhile - this has by far become possibly my favorite picture ever of her and you can't even see her complete face - why? Because it is SO her! It's her personality captured in that one millisecond and it will forever be in my mind and on my walls now. These are what makes it worth everything and why I'll never stop clicking!!!

I also can't get rid of pictures - even if they are no good - I have a serious issue with pressing the delete button on my camera or my computer. It scares me - even those pictures that didn't come out are those that I might hold dearest 20 years later. On one hand my kids love them - they might not necessarily like when I ask them to sit still for a group shot but they sure do love to look at them when they are on the computer screen. Wish my husband was like that! Oh well guess for the time being I'll continue to pull my camera out during every waking moment and enjoy capturing our kids lives and hope that one day he'll want to sit down and look through them. On the other hand he can continue to make fun of me - because other than my family there isn't much else I hold dearer than my pictures!

Wordless Wednesday

He Has A Dream

                                                               This guy has a dream :

                                                             He wants to be a pitcher...

                                                                       with a passion!

He's only 6 and surprisingly he can throw the ball very well and even straight most of the time.

By the looks of it - he's going to go far - therefore I won't be leaving the baseball field anytime soon.

Only Way to Get By

It's been hot here in the south! We've gotten a break for the past 4 or 5 days but it's coming again this week and it's been pretty constant - I'm talking mid to high 90s and when you're in the south you can automatically add 10 degrees onto that for the heat index because the humidity around here is HORRID.

Caleb and Allie would live outside if we let them I believe but Lucas and Jacob are another story. They go out and within 5 minutes are back in complaining that it's hot and they need a drink. Every five minutes time after time after time. Not to mention the door gets left open more times than it gets closed therefore I am killing fly after fly after fly all day long!!!!! PETA - don't come get me but there is something oddly satisfying about killing a fly!

The kids have played in the water a good bit this summer to get a break from the heat and so that I can get them occupied and out of the house. Plus side - I love pool pictures :)

Caleb is still a bit nervous around the water - I like it that way to be honest because at least he's not taking chances!!!! He definitely wants to be close by and feel safe.

These two are fun!!!! Except when they're getting in trouble :)

Splash Wars - Gotta love when you're constantly having water thrown in your face!!!

He's still such a baby at heart - reminds me of someone younger getting thrown because he looks so big here!

This little girl will do whatever you'll let her - except sit on a floaty - she's not interested in those. Yet she's not scared of the water one bit!!!! Scares me that she's not scared though!

Getting to Know You

I'm finally remembering on Sunday morning that I wanted to play along with this meme and getting it done - that's a good start right?! Head over to MannLand5 and play along!!! Now for the questions ......

1. What do you look forward to the most on the 4th of July?

Cookouts/ice cream and family! I think there is nothing better than being with the people that you love and being completely relaxed. I think today we are going to make some yummy cupcakes and then tonight it will be smores time :) I even have a craving for some homemade Oreo ice cream sometime in the next day or so - can you tell I LOVE me some sweets!


2. Are you a hugger?

I would say I am with those I am close to but I'm not one to just walk up and huge someone that I don't know that well. I have a bit of a space issue with those I don't know well - I need my space around here. Heck sometimes I have the same issue with those I am close to so we all have our momehts :)

3. What is your favorite BBQ'd food?

Love bbq chicken - what isn't good about that? Pure and Simple and no reason to mess with it's perfection.

4. Do you like to watch parades?

I loved watching them as a kid - I'd say my interest in them has died down as I've gotten older. Now that's for the ones on tvs though - the big parades I'll glance at now and then when I'm passing by the tv. I love going to live parades - those are so cool!

5. Who has stinkier farts..boys or girls?

My husband would say girls hands down but it's my blog and he's in bed so boys!!!!! Haha

6. Vampires or Werewolves?

Since this is basically an Edward vs. Jacob questions I'll have to go with werewolves - I wasn't a big fan of his after he "left" the first time.

7. Do you read your horoscope?

No - I think most of the time they are so vague we try to make things that happen fit into what was said in the horoscope.

8. What is your favorite flavor of ice cream?
 
I love love love Mint Chocolate Chip and anything Oreo has me at first glance!!!!! I'm hungry now!

5 Question Friday

Finally - Friday is here and other than meaning my husband is on call again and will most likely be working for the next three days while most other people are off for their long weekend it also means it's 5 Question Friday. The five most random questions you will ever find :) Who doesn't love random on a Friday morning when our brains are fried from the rest of the week. Head over to Mama M's and join in on the fun!

1. What is one thing you miss the most about childhood?

Overall I don't miss being a child - I wouldn't want to go back however I'd say if I had to pick something then I miss being carefree. Not a worry in the world and though I thought I had issues and things to do life was really so easy. I'd like to be carefree for a couple of days now - that would be heaven :)


2. Are you still friends with your friends from high school?

I am still friends with some of my high school classmates and we are able to keep in touch through facebook. I went to a very small Catholic high school and we only had 19 in our graduating class - not only did we all know each other on a personal level we also knew each and every person in the entire school.

3. Is there a catch phrase, cliche, or word that just drives you bonkers every time you hear it?

Life isn't fair. I have a bit of a control issue - I like to be in control and knowing what is going on all the time. From all the counselors I've talked to in my life (and believe me it's been a lot) they have all said it's my way of making sure my world is okay because if I don't feel like I know what is going on then I feel like the world is going to spin out of control on me. When I met my husband something wouldn't go my way and he'd always say "Life Isn't Fair" - there was nothing I hated to hear more. I've gotten better - I've let my iron clad tight hold on things go a bit and I've learned to simply let go on some things. Other things I'm still just as bad.

4. What is one thing that you think symbolizes America...besides "Old Glory"?

Family - get togethers - fireworks - hamburgers and homemade ice cream. There's nothing like a family get together and being with the people that you know regardless of the circumstance they will be by your side!

5. What are your 4th of July weekend plans?

Well we didn't have a lot of plans other than spending the weekend together as a family and figuring out something fun to do but at the last minute David had to go on call for work so now we'll be here by ourselves most likely. I'm not looking forward to the long 3 day weekend from that vantage point.

Full Circle

Everything in life comes full circle and yesterday was one of those moments that I realized this. You see I never thought I'd have a little girl. I dreamed it - yes and planned those Mommy/Daughter dates in my head but as I started having children and had boy after boy after boy I knew it wasn't going to happen. Even when I got pregnant the last time I knew it was a boy - we just didn't make girls so it wasn't possible. I saved a few things that meant something to me but as I got older I knew they would probably sit and collect dust - one was the blanket that was by far my absolute favorite - I still have that to this day! and the other was a baby doll I got when I was probably 4 or 5 years old. I named her Angel - ironic that I now have a baby doll named Angel when the man I married has an ex wife named Angel - I think not. Anywho when I got her on my birthday it was like I'd been handed a million dollars! I took her everywhere with me and never put her down. She required surgery one time because she was so worn! She was a large doll and very VERY real looking - at the time I think she was probably one of the most real looking ones you could find. My dad and stepmom hated her!!!!! I think she freaked them out because she looked so real - but she was my favorite! She now has one eye that looks very lazy- I think that is when I pulled her eyelashes out - really I don't know why I did that but she has the scars. I used to have an issue biting my nails(bad issue) and when I couldn't bite mine well I'd bite hers and she has those scars too. I told you I was weird!

This picture is grainy but it's 23 years old too - it's amazing to look at the difference in pictures that we take now and those that were taken when we were children.

Yesterday I was getting clothes out of the shed for a consignment sale later this summer and Lucas asked me what that big "old" :( baby doll was doing in there. I figured now was as good a time as any to pull her out and see what Allie would do with her. She LOVED her!!!!!!! I cleaned her up as best I could and changed her 20+ year old clothes -when I cleaned out Allie's baby clothes I kept a good bit and put them in boxes for babydolls - I knew the day would come she would want blankets/towels/washclothes/clothes and I figured why not save the money then and just have it already so we dressed her and Allie had a blast!

I just realized when I looked at this picture how dirty my glass is - that will be cleaned first thing this morning!!!

Kinda symbolic looking at my little girl playing with the same exact baby doll I did when I was little.

Oh and by the way - her name has been changed to Lily!!!