Give Thanks

I took this a few weeks ago
early one Sunday morning
trying to capture the details
of autumn splendor

Happy Thankgiving

I have so much to be thankful for..
my family has been blessed in so many ways..
my family grew by 2 feet
our first is showing the younger how to love... and be loved
our second child started kindergarten
our third is potty training himself
my husband has a good job
we have a roof over our heads
we have food on the table for every meal
we have clothes on our back
we have good friends whom we can count on at every turn
our families bless us with unconditional love
my brother returned safely from over sees with his military duty
my sister found out her family will grow by 2 more feet next spring

Here is one more prayer that you might say at your family gathering today:
Give us this day our daily bread,
O Father in heaven,
and grant that we who are filled with good things from Your open hand,
may never close our hearts to the hungry,
the homeless,
and the poor;
in the name of the Father,
and of the Sone,
and of the Holy Spirit.
- from the abbey of New Clairvaux, Viña, California

May God continually bless you and your family!
AnneMarie

Happy Birthday, MK!!!

Today is my niece's birthday...
she is one of the sweetest kids I know. She always makes me smile and I am so glad that I was there the day she was born. What a gift to see a birth... not only the birth of a new soul but of my own Godchild. How wonderful is that?? I remember it so well!!! My sister was starving after giving birth and the cafe was closed so her dh ran to get BK for her... I think it hit the spot! lol!
These are the words my sister sent out today with a sweet email about one of my favorite people:

Hi All, I just thought you'd like to see these two pictures. One from MK's first day and the second from just a couple of months ago.
Her first word was a sentence. "Don't do that." She was 6 months old. Now it's, "Why can't I do that?"
Her first steps were at 9 months. Now she's running two miles per workout for the school's cross country club.
At 20 months she told everyone in the supermarket where Mommy's baby was. She's still looking out for her little brother.
At 3 she rode her tricycle with Daddy's help. Now she's looking at Daddy's '66 Mustang...and waiting.
I thank each and every one of you for the precious part you have played in her life...and mine. Love,Missy.

Where have I been?

For those of you who do not know..
I found out shortly after "going public" with my photography that our family was blessed with yet another soul. After being told we could never have any children... 9 years of marriage and 9 surgeries later... we really discovered that God has a great sense of humor and laughed the entire time about my plans!! lol!

When ever I would pick up my camera or sit in front of the computer I would get so sick. I had to put down my camera for the first trimester and then slowly picked it back up here and there for my senior shoots.

I had my 8 year old get a few shots of me while I was at the end of the pregnancy. We thought this baby would never come!!! She was actually a few days late and was much bigger than any of my other children.

Because I am now a momma to 4 cuties my time is really limited until I put my feet on the ground again- they seem to be running a lot lately! lol! I have done a few photo shoots for some close friends who know my time constraints :)

So.. where have I been???
changing diapers
helping in the kindergarten classroom
checking cursive, spelling, algebra (did you know that was being taught in 3rd grade now? wow!)
watching our son find his own way while his big sisters are at school all day
finding out who our new little one is
changing more diapers
potty training
checking more homework
listening to little ones read out loud
being a taxi driver
changing more diapers
making a few meals here and there
listening to my dh snore LOL!

Mr. K

I love how this little guy lights up whatever is around him with is smile! It is infectious!! You can't help but smile at this little guy as he hops from place to place during an adventure to an old horse pasture!! Mr. K, I love hangin' out with you!

against the old barn

My oldest is so used to getting out in front of a camera it's almost second nature. This morning that we went out it was cool- much cooler than it had been but she was a trooper and let me scout out this old barn that has been in our neighborhood much longer than I have lived here- which has been since 1981. I remember where the town grocery store is now used to be a field full of horses, the funeral home used to hold Mass on Saturday night for a new church, the Red Barn BBQ used to be where I would get my tack repaired for my horse or even repair my boots from too much scootin'! lol!