The big ONE is done ;)

We have had a fabulous, busy, amazing weekend! Scout enjoyed her first birthday party and it was so great to see everyone there. I can't believe all the people that showed up and took time to come celebrate with us. Thank you to everyone for coming!! Now enough with the talk, here are some photos ;) Thank you too penandpaperflowers for the gorgeous invites, OliviasPaperShoppe, threesweets, and DreamSpunKids (all Etsy Shops)
for their fabulous products!!!

Birthday Eve...

tomorrow is the big ONE. I am taking the day off to spend with my little girl. Planning a nice breakfast, possibly a movie, and too many pictures to look at in the years to come. I'm not sure where the last year went but it seems that we were just bringing her home from the hospital.. such a little thing she was. Now here she is taking small steps and saying new words, always ready to dance and usually has that beautiful smile on her face. Knowing that she is our baby, and seeing how quickly the boys have grown, makes me appreciate every little moment of her baby-ness that much more.. and now we are entering the toddler stage. As I look back it seems that Kole was just this age.. and Logan too.. this next week is going to bring big changes in our house.. not only is Scout turning one, Logan will be 7.. (7 already??? I swear he just turned one himself!)and we start a new school year. Kole is going into the Middle School, that fact alone fills me with apprehension. Not only because he is growing up, not so much a little kid anymore, he is a tween, a young man.. I miss the days of him playing non stop with his hot wheels, and the way he loved to paint with me. I worry so much, not only about the choices he is going to have to make, but did I do enough and teach him enough to make sure that he makes the right ones? Logan will be there soon enough too, a first grader, his big brother isn't going to be there to say hi too in the hallways, he loved that last year. He was always one to run up and give Kole a hug in the hallways. I guess it's time for Logan to be his own person, maybe have some time to shine on his own and not fall into Kole's shadow. Makes me a bit sad.. last year was the only year my kids will ever go to the same school at the same time. Can you tell I am full of emotions tonight?? SO much has changed in the last year, some for the better, some for the worse.. or it could just depend on how you look at it. Regardless there is no time machine to go back and revisit the past, so when you see me and my camera just know that I'm capturing the memories that will last me a lifetime, to catch the kids being kids, smiling, goofing, and turning one.. and seven.. and twelve.. and to look back at in the future when they go off to college, get married, or have their own little ones celebrating milestones.. to make me smile and maybe send myself back in time even if it's just for a few moments...

Scout's Sneak Peek!

What did I tell you! The most adorable photos and this is just a peek, so anxious to see the proofs!! Be sure to leave a comment about what you think of Scout's photos on The Simply Loved website! :)View them HERE DON'T forget to put those comments on ;)

The big ONE is getting closer

Today Scout & I had the opportunity to work with Ashley of Simply Loved Photography for Scout's one year photos. Yes yes I know we are a bit early on them, but Ashley seems to be quite the busy photographer and after working with her today and viewing her amazing photos on her website I can really see why. She was AMAZING with Scout, sang to her and did everything she could to get "the" shot. I am very excited to preview our photos sometime in the next week. Don't worry I'll share the link on here :)
Scout did fairly well, she definitely had her cranky moments this morning and the photographers patience with her really amazed me. It was a first for me to be told if we needed a break for her to get a snack or some milk that was okay. She even let me take a photo of her taking a photo of Scout for our blog/scrapbook, how cool is that! I will absolutely recommend her to anyone with little ones if they are looking for a great photographic experience.. so stay tuned for the sneak peek. I know I can't wait!

Mom, I'm bored....

As we have 5 more weeks until school starts, the boys are getting "BORED" so I have made an "Mom, I am bored" jar. So much fun and super cute. I found the inspiration, and the list of suggestions to put in it, here at skip to my lou although the post came from somewhat simple. The boys are going to "pick" one of the many possibilities out of the jar the next time I have the pleasure of hearing I'm bored. There are a range of fun things such as, make cookies, do an art project, take pictures of anything i want to the not so fun, pull weeds, take out the garbage, clean your room, and my favorite - pick 5 toys to give to goodwill. Hopefully it will keep them entertained and maybe outside playing, skateboarding, and just being kids. :)
We have started Scout on more table food, and I'll tell you one thing she LOVES turkey and potato's! OF course I had to add a few pictures from dinner this evening. She has also decided in the last week or so that books are her thing, and has found a new love of age appropriate legos. It doesn't seem possible that our baby should be growing quite so quickly. As I get everything prepared for her "big One" I find myself going back through photos of the last year and am amazed at how much she has changed and grown. Not just Scout either I guess, going back to photos of last August, I am in awe of how much the boys have changed in the last year as well. As my little girl is growing from an infant to a toddler, my boys, well they are young men. Kole amazes me everyday with his wit and intelligence, and Logan with his big heart and "I'm all boy" attitude. It doesn't seem that it was all that long ago that they were the ones about to celebrate their first birthdays and I just have to say I am so proud of the people they are becoming.
With everything else going on, I have to admit I am excited for fall. The cool mornings, the crisp air, the changing leaves, the beauty of it all. Maybe because my own birthday always meant school was right around the corner, it always felt like a celebration. A new year all of it's own. New clothes, football games, halloween, and so much time with family. So I am excited for what's to come in the next 5 weeks we've been busy and we're just going to get busier with football, soccer and everything else and i really just can't wait!!

Sneak Peak

Here is a little preview of what's to come in just a few short weeks! The invites were designed with Jess @ the fabulous pen n'paper flowers I had a lot of fun working with her, and she also inspired me to get in touch with my creative side so the toppers pictured are part of what I have come up with for her party on my own ;) Wanna see more?? I think you might have to wait just a bit longer for that! I have also designed some invites for a "milk and cookies" party - small small small party for the weekend after his birthday.. yes that would be the weekend after Scout's party. Tis' the birthday season!!

11 months, the 4th of July, and the middle of summer already?

We have had a great weekend and a busy one too. We have seen almost all of our family and definitely miss the ones we didn't get to see! (Grandma & Grandpa L. & Auntie J, and some of our KS family was missing as well!!)Hope everyone has had an amazing of a weekend as we have, time spent with friends and family and celebrating the birthday of our great country is always a good time. Speaking of birthdays guess who is 11 months old now? Hard to believe that only 4 short weeks and our little girl will be ONE! We (okay I) am having a lot of fun party planning and trying not too go too crazy over small details but it's hard not too. She's the only one that lets me do things for her and it's so hard to believe she will be a year so soon!!!
The boys are already counting how many days of summer vacation they have left, I'm afraid that it will be time for school shopping before we know it. They have had a great summer and I couldn't be more proud of them. :) Kole will be starting football up in another month and Logan with Soccer as well.. It's going to be that crazy busy time of year again & I can't wait!!