I'm Still trying to get the house unpacked and in order. We finally ordered a new couch and soon we will no longer have to share a love sac to watch our favorite shows.  I wish I was joking when I say that it is literally the only piece of furniture in our family room.  My house is a bit of a site for sore eyes at the moment, but then that would't stop me from having my good friend over to take pics of her darling kids while she was out visiting from Michigan.  Does she make cute babies or what?

Also,  mark your calendars for spring mini sessions on Saturday March 29. Limited space available and details coming soon

Home at last

Well, we're finally settled into our new home. I take that back, absolutely nothing is settled but we are sleeping there. That should count for something.  It's a good feeling to finally be here even if there is no toilet in the master bathroom yet.  Okay, so it may have been a bit premature, but we bought the place in September and patience is a virtue that I do not possess.  We left a ton of our furniture at the old place to stage it so the new place is a little empty, but it makes for lots of fort building, yoga practicing and freeze tagging space.  The neighbors seem great from what I can gather and for the first time since we've been married we don't live on a hill. Yay! for family bike rides and walking to church, plus it just feels to good to be back in my hometown.  I'm hoping my kids get to experience a childhood here that is half as amazing as mine was. It's true when they say there's no place like home. 

Juliette

Every thing I say to this little girl is well thought out, to say the least. Heaven forbid I say something she doesn't fancy, I'll set her off and am certain for a long recovery.  I've become a master of manipulation and can turn almost any task into a game of some sort.  On the off chance I don't feel like tip toeing on eggshells,a tantrum and a nap can usually put our world back in order. I have learned to pick my battles wisely. Who's it hurting if she wears a transformers costume in public?  Besides my dignity of course, and that went out the window the day I became a mother.  This spirited, opinionated, and strong willed 3 year old has the best heart, all of which qualities I personally find desirable and necessary to make it through this life. I feel honored that God would trust me with such an incredible spirit. Even if she did stay home from church today for a post-freakout nap because she wouldn't change out of her pink and gold wrestling mask and into her dress...I do draw the line somewhere.

be still my womb

This past week I was lucky enough to take pics of the absolute sweetest little Beckham, my friend's 8 day old baby. In comparison My 6 month old, Scout, looked enormous and the swaddling blankets wrapped around him what felt like an infinite amount of times. If I hadn't been on the verge of loosing my mind with my 3 kids the other day, I'd swear I want another.  

 We spent a morning at the doctor's office for Scout's well baby check up. The odds were not in our favor to say the least. The usual number of 3 needle pokes had to be upped to 6 since they were out of the combined vaccines and on top of it, the nurse was new and gave her the shots unbearably slow. I was on the verge of tears and probably would have been crying if I hadn't been trying to keep my other children from kicking each other in the head and opening every drawer in the office while Scout was bawling. Then, just to make things extra wonderful the doctor tried to talk to Juliette and she literally scream-growled in her face 3 separate times. Being the level-headed person that I am, I immediately cancelled the Vegas trip I had planned to let the kids spend time with their Grandparents and cousins. Weeping, whaling and nashing of teeth ensued. Naturally, the mother-guilt crept in and I second guessed my reaction so we "made a deal": If the kids would help me clean the house with no complaints AND pay for their own babysitter the next time I had to go somewhere we would give the trip another chance.  They speedily agreed and Alfie informed me that he had "said a prayer in his heart that god would forgive him for the way he acted" which totally redeemed him of anything naughty he has ever done in his 6 and a half years. They worked their tiny tails off getting the house tidied and their suitcases packed.  My Sister then text me to let me know that their whole family was horribly sick and we should probably postpone our visit. bahahahahahahahahahahhahahahahahaha. That was all I could do. 

Of course, we have our sweet moments too, one of which is the 90 minutes I spend by myself at Bikram yoga every morning. he he he, but I'm not kidding when I say that I am a better wife and mother for it.  My husband has even remarked about how happy I am when I go to yoga.  Maybe at 6AM it's too early to care or could it be the fact that I get to shower uninterrupted? I'm not sure, but when I get home I feel revitalized and ready to give myself to others for the rest of the day. Being a Mother is hard, it is so so hard, but then who wouldn't agree it's also, quite possibly, the most rewarding decision you've ever made. 

luv ya

Moving sucks, but everyone knows that. We've spent the week getting our house listed and taking trips to see progress on the renovation of the new place, along with driving Alfie to his new school.  He's having a bit of a rough transition, and misses his old school even though  he made friends from day one and the other kids seem to love him.  He even came home with a bracelet from his new "girlfriend" the other day. I'm sure the girls in his old school would be heartbroken. :) Scout is teething and Juju's still coughing from a cold she caught after chicken pox and a bout of salmonella. Poor kid.    It's one of those weeks you're glad to see finished and to celebrate we had a little fun taking some Vday pictures for Alfie's Valentines cards we're printing at Pro Digital Photos. Of course I snapped a few of the girls as well.  

2013 Top Ten

Happy New Year

Lake Powell with the Phillipys