It's Official.

After five nights in a row of potty perfection, we are officially a diaperless household.


So...neener neener.

We Exude Fantasticisms

As if multiple photoshoots in a week weren't enough, we decided to take advantage of some rare and decent weather in order to get some new and updated photos of ourselves for marketing. Uh, I have a whole new respect for our clients, especially those seniors who are forced to pose awkwardly and yet, remain looking fierce. I prefer to be behind the camera, thank you very much.

Not that it wasn't fun because it was. And funny. We tried poses and ideas that we've been wanting to try but didn't want to experiment with using actual clients. A good thing too because many didn't quite work out or were generally physically impossible.

Doobie tagged along and ended up doing some modeling as well. Because he's cute. And he loves to say cheese with his eyes closed.


I probably should have dressed him better but what's more Doobie than a track jacket and Lightening McQueen shoes? Nothing.


This is me and big Max. He looks good.


You know what's funny? Taking pictures of each other taking pictures of each other. Yup.


Doobie showing me how to look fierce.


At the end of the day we did a few mommy and doobie pics because he really wanted to climb on this log with me.

Jordan's First Field Trip

This week Jordan went on her very first field trip. Well, she went on several last year with Jake's class, but this was her first official trip as a school kid. I went along to help, as did Joshy and he even got to ride the bus! I drove separately because a bus load of 60 excited 5 year olds didn't really appeal.

The field trip was an adventure to a farm where they keep draft horses and do wagon rides. We visited the horses, had a picnic, threw rocks into a river, took a wagon ride, ate s'mores and sang songs around a fire pit. We did this event last year with Jake's class and it was raining. This year was warm and sunny.

2010 Alaska State Fair

These pictures all loaded in reverse order and I don't feel like fixing them because it's 2am.

So here is our day at the fair...in reverse.


A family photo before we walked out of the gate for home. This photo is awesome for two reasons, Jake's eyes are closed and Jordan is distracted.


Jordan wanted to carry our giant bag of kettle corn to the car. She didn't make it much farther than this. I didn't realize there were people canoodling in the background until after I loaded this photo. Sweet.


The bumper cars moments before Jordan bashed her face and bloodied her mouth all up.


Jake and his grandma on the hang glider thingy. One of them was scared. I won't say which one.


The "Where's Waldo?" shot. Jake and I are on top of the ferris wheel looking down on Jordan, Josh and Diana. Can you spot them? Hint, Jordan has a red shirt, Josh has orange and Diana has green. GO!


A view of the parking lot from the top of the ferris wheel.


A view of Jake on top of the ferris wheel.


Standing in line before getting on the ferris wheel.


The first ride of the day. The "cars" at the kiddy ride area. Everone's favorite and it's SO LAME.

Working...

Working hard on photos today.


Yes. Your eyes do not deceive you. I have three coffees going right now.

A Little Peek

My friend Amanda has a baby girl who just turned one. We did a little photoshoot with her and I just wanted to share this photo. Cute, yes but...



You can totally see me in her eyeballs!

Week One

The first week of school is over.

Jordan seems to be enjoying kindergarten immensely (for the most part) and has already started learning to write the cursive letter "i" (sort of). Very exciting stuff!

Jake really likes his first grade class and after sucking up for the first three days, he managed to get in trouble on Thursday and Friday. Just the usual stuff, the not listening being the most notable.

After a fantabulous week of weather perfection, the rain has hit hardcore just in time for the weekend. We found indoor things to do...



I have been "attending" an online, virtual, live photography workshop that is blowing me away. Learning a ton, getting excited about new and unusual things and generally annoying my poor, neglected husband in the process.

On a completely unrelated note, I took this picture of the moon the other night because it was cool. Well, it was cool in person.

The First Day of School

We made it through!



Everyone woke up bright-eyed and bushy-haired and ready to go this morning. Well, everyone except for me, who stayed awake all night tossing and turning after indulging in a caffeine saturated cherry coke the night before. Jake also had a hard time waking up, insisting that he had only slept for one whole minute (which may be true, his face certainly doesn't appear well rested here).

The breakfast of champions included cereal, pop tarts, bananas and other random breakfasty foods. Clothes were donned, hair was combed and pig-tailed (will I ever figure out how to do girly hair? And what is with the giant noggin in the photo? Is her head really that gynormous?), backpacks were packed and out the door we went.



Two minutes later we pulled into the school parking lot to unload. I do not recommend walking backward through a parking lot to take pictures of your kids walking into school. You never know when you might walk smack into a parked car. I'm just saying.


We headed to the gym, found our teachers and waited for school to start. I walked with Jordan to her class and helped her find her seat, her coat hook and together we unloaded and organized her supplies. Then I smooched her and left her smiling sweet self to go find Jake's class.

A hug for Doobie


"See Mom? I got this."


Her nametag! So exciting!


Jake and Doobie

Jake was already seated in his class (right near some friends) and I observed as he followed the teacher's instructions for putting his things away. Then I left with all my other mom friends to go to Starbucks and cry in our coffee. BUT I DIDN'T CRY! I know, I'm shocked too. But both kids were so great and so excited and SO READY for school.

Darrin checked on them a couple of times throughout the day and everyone was trooping right along. I laid in bed with Jordan for twenty minutes tonight listening to her talk all about the things she did and the people she saw. Jake didn't really want to talk about his day other than to so say he really liked his class. Isn't that just like a punk? I mean boy?

So, the school year has begun and it's just the Doobie and me at home now. We are going to have SO much fun without everyone. So there.

It's Happening AGAIN!

For the 2nd year in a row...my baby is starting kindergarten.

It's not the same baby. It's a different baby.

Jake has moved on to first grade and tomorrow Jordy-Roo Bugamuffin is starting kindergarten. I think I'm having a harder time letting her go than I did when my very first baby started kindergarten last year. It's because she's my BUG and she's so sensitive and she's a girl and needs me! Doesn't she?

I know she'll be fine, she knows her teacher very well (the same teacher Jake had last year) and we know a friend or two in her class. Jake will be a couple of doors down so they'll run into each other in the halls, and daddy works down the hall as well and happens to have a free hour the same time she'll be at lunch. So there will be someone there when she can't open her applesauce or get her straw into her juice box. Sniff.

Also my boys got haircuts.

The Doobs had his official first "non-crying" buzz cut.


Jake is all ready for first grade with his regulation do. He's a pro. I hope he's not offended that I can't take him to his class tomorrow because I'll be busy dealing with Jordy and all the tears (mine not hers).

Happy Birthday!

My Sweetie Pie Head celebrated his 34th birthday last week. We celebrated in the usual fashion...relaxing! We had dinner with the family and a couple of friends at Lonestar steakhouse, home for pumpkin pie and then off to the movies!


D is not a cake fan so our tradition is to have pumpkin pie for his birthday. I didn't have 34 candles so instead I used every candle in the house. It got the point across well enough I think. :)


It is impossible to get this a guy a decent gift. So instead of dropping a big pile of money on something he won't even pretend to like, we assembled a gift bag of all his favorite treats. Later he and I went on a movie date with a stop at Best Buy first so he could pick something super cool for himself.


The kids spent some time making him birthday art.




There was a to-do involving me and my inability to find canned pumpkin anywhere in town. In the end I tracked down some organic pumpkin with a really weird recipe on it. I made it anyway and as it was cooling I opened my pantry and a can of good ol' Libby's pumpkin fell of the shelf into my hand. Left over from last Thanksgiving. DOESN'T IT JUST FIGURE!?

The pie was edible though. I'll make the Libby's for Thanksgiving this year.

Rain, Rain, WHAT THE HECK?

Today marks the 31st day of perpetual rain in Anchorage this summer. We broke the record on day 25. Everything is dismal and soggy. On the bright side, my lawn has never been so lush and green.

Also, my mushrooms are thriving.

First Lost Tooth for Jake

Bubba lost his first tooth last week. It was dangling by a thread for weeks but he wouldn't let us pull it out. It hung on so long that the new tooth was almost completely in place behind it!

Jake took great enjoyment in wiggling it and showing it to people. We endured days and days of, "My tooth is gone!...PSYCH!" Which got old until I introduced my own version. "Your tooth is gone!...PSYCH!" He fell for it way more often than I did.

Then, last week, he was nibbling on some corn and his tooth finally fell out.

Then he swallowed it.

When photoshoot season ramps up, the first things to go are laundry and blogging. I still have to get pics up of Darrin's birthday and Jake's first lost tooth! Instead, here's why I've been neglecting the updates.



These were taken during a wedding we shot last weekend out at Big Lake. It was wonderful and amazing and so much fun to do. We brought along an apprentice to help us out and document some things. She was such a help and such a trooper.