my christmas project.

As a mother, naturally, you want everything to be perfect. Laundry clean, folded & put away, dinner on the table, house organized, happy baby, happy boyfriend, bills payed, etc. But the reality of it is simple - you can't do it all. Before Christmas I told myself I would buy the best Christmas decor, decorate my house from floor to ceiling, take holiday pictures of Quinn, and make it as perfect as possible. I wasn't rational. About a week and a half before Christmas, I realized I had NO decorations other than our tree, and I dissapointed myself. After giving myself a hard time, and strolling down guilt trip road - I set a goal for myself. JUST to take pictures of Quinn! If this goal could be completed, I wouldn't worry a bit about anything else throughout the holidays. Mission accomplished.  

 We had just bought this bed as a Christmas gift for our dog... and I joked at the store about how I'd rather sleep in her bed than in my own, because it looked SO comfortable. When we got home, I planned on wrapping a big bow around it and putting it under the tree. Instead, I set Quinn in it, naked, and started snapping! (Listen, judge me all you want - the bed wasn't used, and Quinn enjoyed every second of the shoot!) We added some 'umph' to it with a red tie, and christmas lights. Garett's mom had also given us a Santa outfit as a gift for him, so we took a few with that outfit also. Enjoy :)  

 

 

grocery solutions.

Since I was a little girl I've always despised grocery shopping. (Now listen, I use the word despise VERY rarely. Take it seriously.) Something about walking around a cold, brightly lit...um, pantry, if you will, just does not appeal to me. Regardless, a girls gotta eat. So, over the years I've managed to suck it up and force myself down every necessary aisle in the local supermarkets. Over time I've started noticing things that make me enjoy shopping more. I've compiled a list:

• Being hungry when you go - Okay, I know the number one rule to shopping is not to starve yourself before making a trip to the grocery store, but, I've found if I eat before I go, then when I make the stroll down any aisle, absolutely nothing looks appealing. If I'm hungry when I arrive, I actually buy things that I'll eat later on, where as when i'm full, I don't grab anything, and later I fuss myself for bailing on the food that my stomach craves oh so much.
• Going alone - Now this doesn't happen very often. In fact, I may have only grocery shopped alone 7 or 8 times in my life. But, I've realized how pressured I feel when i'm being followed, or following someone else down the fruit & vegetables section and they are adamently staring at every single thing I pick up (and probably judging the fact that i hate vegetables.) I also feel like I'm rushed...and that causes me a lot of anxiety as well as a hard hit to my wallet. This is mostly because when I'm rushed I don't pay near as much attention to prices, or healthiness.
• Grocery Lists - Without one of these, I. cannot. function. The problem is simple. I forget every necessary ingredient to any meal my little hands can throw together. My brain goes 100+ mph a day, and that doesn't stop just because I'm in a supermarket. I neeeeeed a list. I'm sure everyone needs a list! I've found quite a few printables online, and I've decided to make my own, according to what my own usual grocery list entails. Below is a link to the document of the grocery list. Please feel free to use it at your convenience. I know it's helped me tremendously. Print a few out, attach it to the fridge with a handy little magnet, add items as you run out of them, and voila! EASY. enjoy :)

http://www.scribd.com/doc/75137217/Grocery-List

 



a teensy itsy bit of jealousy.

okay, i'm lying. a huge bit of jealousy!

In late October, we scooted ourselves back over to Texas for our first family photoshoot. I don't believe I have ever been so excited about being on the other side of a camera. I am from a miniscule town in Southeast Texas, home to many unheard of, warm-hearted, amazing people. (and there's a few shallow asses in there, too.) Being that I am currently living in a larger city in Louisiana, I tried for weeks to find a photographer here who's style I fancied, but the only one I found was booked for the year (Yes.....the entire year. Envy.)

I then began looking back around my hometown for someone who wouldn't mind booking me only a month in advance. I found her! Allison Walker: Picture Perfect Photography. Allison is a young, new photographer, and did a wonderful job on our shoot. When we arrived, she whipped out a few props, introduced herself, and got straight to business. We spent about an hour posing at an old vacant rustic home, where only she has the permission to shoot. During every pose, I watched the angles she shot at, and wondered where she pulled these ideas from in her brain. I would think "oh... lets do this pose! perfect!" and she would turn me around the complete opposite way, and grab the perfect shot. One of which i could've never thought of on my own. All the while, i'm thinking "why am I not a photographer yet?" Well.....there ya go Morgan. THAT'S WHY! Looks like i'll need more practice than I thought. Maybe some studying will do the trick.....

As for our photos, here are a few from the shoot! Thank you, Allison..for such an affordable, fun shoot, and also for reminding me that age has no factor in how amazing your job can be.