embrace the Camera {Mar1 my love}

Buggie has always been emotional type of kiddie.

But as of late it seems to be in full force.

Not sure if its because she is turning 6 in two months, but lately she has been saying things like "Momma I liked it when I was little."

"Momma I NEVER want to leave you, never ever."

Then after asking her why, she will say "I was cute and little."

We keep reassuring her, that getting bigger is super fun.

Like when she and Mommy get to go get froyo on a random week night...

And that no matter how big is gets, she will ALWAYS be my little baby girl. And I will always be there for her, to love, to nourish, and to have a good snuggle with.

Oh my sweet Buggie...

Mom in the Shot {Feb 2nd A month in photos}

I like bandwagons.

They fill my need to feel like part of the group.

So when some peeps on Instgram started posting a photo a day challenge for January,

I was in it to win it.

Here was the challenge....

And here is my month in collage form, thanks to the most helpful Julie, with her CRAY CRAY instructions...

It was super fun.

And like I said above I enjoy a bandwagon, so you know when I saw TWO more challenges for Feb I JUMPED HIGH. Haha.

Linking with Em today, why cause my mug is all up in that collage.

Mom in the Shot {Jan 26th To Infinity and Beyond}

How do you know you married your soulmate?

Is it the way he looks lovingly at you from across the dinner room table as your son dumps his bowl of pasta on the floor?

Is it when you go to snuggle up with him in the middle of the night to find a kid has pulled a sneak attack and is currently acting as the Great Wall of China in your bed?

Or maybe its when settle down with your little fam bam to watch a movie and 20 minutes in, its just the two of you on the couch sharing a bowl of popcorn watching Rio for 543rd time, while your kids have abandoned you for better offerings in the playroom?

For me, its when stuff like this happens...

Yes, as the kiddlets played safely in the tub, we modeled and posed in Bean's Buzz towel.

What you don't stretch the neck out in your sons towel, strike a pose and stare randomly up and to the left, then take photos?

Well we do and when it happens, its magic.

Soulmate magic.

In other Pixar related news, I totally made this for Bean the other day...

I had seen it on Pinterest and have been wanting to make it.

*Poof* I made it.

*Disclaimer: I was by no means paid by Pixar for this post, but in related news they can so pay if they are feeling so generous.*

Mom in the Shot {Jan 10th A family shot to remember her}

This past News Years Day, we gathered, we eat, we laughed, and we remembered her.

It was just in October that we had all gathered last, when my Abuela passed away.

She is was married to the love of her life for 55 years, she was the mother of 7, grandmother of 23, and great-grandmother 9.

She gave the best hugs.

And even though I was one of 23 grandkids, she always made me feel like I was her favorite,

but I am pretty sure she had 23 favorites.

My Uncle took a picture of our crazy crew, minus a few who could not make it.

Can you find me?

It was a great day.

We love you and miss you Abuela.

Mom in the Shot {Dec 1st One for the Scrapbook}

You know the feeling of being all dressed nicely for a holiday and thinking,

"We MUST take a picture."

Last week at Thanksgiving dinner at my parents that happened.

It was one of those moments right before we all gathered, I had a crap we need to get a picture.

You know before sweet potatoes end up down the front of someone's shirt, OR red wine ends up on someone's lap, OR gravy works its way into the corners of your mouth, ok enough about Hubs :)

Then this happens...

And all in our little universe is right.

You know the deal...

Mom in the shot {Nov 17th A sick little Bean,

Knock on wood, my kids rarely get sick.

But when they do, oh boy, they are out of commission.

Sunday Nolan started showing the signs.

A little sneeze here or there.

His eyes started getting a little glassy.

And by bedtime we knew.

The fever came.

Monday morning I got him up and we headed to our peds office.

Thats one of my favorite things about them, the 2 hrs in the morning that are just for walk ins.

It's such a relief to wake up at 7, throw on some clothes and not have to call or wait.

As you can see in his little face when waiting for the dr, it had been a LOOONG night. After a quick checkup his diagnose : ear infection. Reason two to love my dr's office, our two dr's carry those little laptops, where they already now our preferred pharmacy, and my dr simply sends over the rx for Bean's prescription with a flick of his finger. So I just leave and go straight home without having to swing by and drop off the rx and just go get it when it was done.

Yeah it was a rough start to our week. Poor guy.

But I can report that my little dude is back on the upswing!

We got to leave the house yesterday!! Even if it was the grocery store.

{Talk about a reflection pic, this is a reflection of Bean through the window reflected on the back of my phone and my image on the window, crazy right, kinda really love it. Even with the dirty window}

As you can see he was all smiles.

***Having one of this days or weeks for that matter, when you think you are losing. Losing against your kids, read my cousins blog post, and take note that you will WIN.***

Did you see his birthday party?!

Linking up with Em.

Mom in the shot {Nov 10th Remember to live in the moment}

Life is so busy.

Things happening everyday.

Schedules to follow.

Play dates, lunch dates, and errands fill up the space in between.

The other day I was tired.

Tired of feeling like I had seconds to breath and regroup before moving onto the next thing.

Then I decided we needed a day off, well when I say "we" I mean, Bean and I, Hubs still had work and Buggie school.

But Bean and I lived in the moment.

Which for us meant some super silly photo moments. When Em started Embrace the Camera, I knew it was important, but honestly the gravity of it has grown more on me with each and every post. Will Bean look back at these photos of his Mom with fond memories, I sure hope so because thats the goal here folks. These moments when Mommy put on silly masks with him and made funny faces in the computer, he now has these photos to remember it was not all Mommy dragging him around all day.

Then we went outside for a snack picnic. Where we shared grapes, hummus, and cherry tomatoes. It was just us and the birds flying high in the sky. Life moves around us, stop and watch it sometimes, you might learn something about it.

Because I sure did on this day.

I learned I need more of these days in my life.

It left me refreshed with a new sense of love and worth for my family.

My favorite moment of our day, was laying on our blanket in the shade of the tree, pointing to the the clouds as they slowing passed by us. And just listening, listening to my little boy ramble about the clouds, birds, Toy Story, Cars 2, and dinosaurs. These are the moments that make life sweet. Moments I will always remember and now we have captured for my little 2 year old to look back on and know his Mommy took time out of our hectic life to just be.

I linked up with Em.

You should too, promise it is SOO worth it.

Mom in the Shot {Sept 15, 2011} Check out the new bloggie design!

Ok first things first, how do you like my new bloggie digs?

There is a few things I still need to do, like new buttons and such.

But when I got the artwork from Amanda over at Pencils and Daisies

I could not wait to put it up.

More to come on this talented lady, she is amazing.

Here I am deciding to grow my hair out. For real this time. I am going to get past the stupid ponytail stage and get long locks, its be 10 years people.

This needs to happen.

And here I am thinking wow, I can really pull off short hair. Maybe I shouldn't grow it out.

Have I told you I am a gemini, the most indecisive group there is?!

So what will I do?

Jury is still out.

Ha.

Embrace the camera people, its freakin AWESOME.

Mom in the Shot {Sept 1, 2011}

It has been forever and a day since I have done an Embrace the Camera post.

But its like riding a bike.

So here I am hopping right back on and pedaling like no ones business.

Here I am at home, scratch that, I mean Target. But check it, see that cart?! Its void, void of children, which totally made it a photo op!

Snookie was not the first girl to rock a bump.

I have been stylin a quiff, since I was knee high to a grasshopper, ok not really, more like the past 7 yrs.

But SOOO before Snookie's ever appeared on MTV.

Oh and speaking of MTV.

I remember being a kid and dying to stay up and watch the VMA's, and when I heard that

this week was the VMA's, I was stunned.

Here is the thing, I can not care about the VIDEO MUSIC awards, when you DO NOT play music videos!!

PLAY MORE MUSIC, and stop making "celebrities" out of teen moms.

Ok sorry for that rant, but I mean really...

And there is this kid.

He steals my heart everyday and challenges my soul even more.

Love him...

Wow, did not even need training wheels.

Now have you been in FRONT of the camera lately?

Link up with Em.

Embrace the Camera May 26th {Buggie Date}

Welcome fellow "Em"bracers {get it, Em Emily, dork I know}

Honor once again to host Embrace the Camera.

My pictures this week remind me of why Emily started the Embrace the Camera moment.

GET YOURSELF IN PICTURES and create memories.

A few Embrace weeks ago, I talked about how important it is to have date nights with your significant others. Today I want to talk about how important it is to have dates with your kids.

Last week Hubs and I planned a secret. We called my MIL to come over to watch the Bean. And during pizza, we told her that we were taking her, no baby brother, to Disney for the evening.

This is her reaction...

After a quick potty break, grabbed some PJ's for the car ride home, and we were off!

No diaper bag {actually no bags at all!} and no stroller. Just the three of us.

When she was born she made my heart hurt from the love that filled it. And I still wonder how it holds it all.

We rode rides. Her favorite is the race cars.

It was a special time. A time she needed with just her Momma and Dadda.

We top our night off with ice cream and fireworks.

Perfect in so many ways.

Now are you ready to link up?!

Make sure to hop over and grab Em's button.

Remember these simple rules:

1. take a picture with you and your kids/spouse/family member/friend/whatever.

2. blog about that picture and include a link to our blog, or grab our button.

3. link your blog post up on mr. linky below.

4. visit the other embracers...give each other lots of compliments about how good we look with our greasy hair andsweatpants velour jogging suits on. cause yah, we need a little boost when it's been days since our last shower.

5. have fun!

don't forget to link your embrace the camera post, not just your blog.

this is really important---and really easy.