Annual Christmas Party

We hosted our annual Christmas party last weekend!
As always, it is a great time to see so many great friends.

A few pics from our fun evening!!

 

The newly engaged couple, Cassidy and John!! 

2012 Santa Photo

I am just happy they weren't both crying. 

That definitely could have happened. 

Fortunately, bribery with ice cream works well on almost- four year olds. 

Even though we have only been doing Santa photos for a few years, I already love looking back on what we have so far:

2009 - Kennedy was almost one year old.

2010- Kennedy was almost two, Rachael was six.

2011- Kennedy was almost three and totally scared of Santa. Mara was five and a half months.

I am feeling extremely aware of how fleeting and incredibly special these Christmases are with young children. I am soaking it up. I am on a hiatus from Junebug Photography. I feel the need to be present, very present with these girls of mine.

Kennedy... My Little Model

I just finished up a four week photography course online.
I really, really enjoyed it! It was so fun to have actual assignments and get solid feedback on my submissions.
I have been feeling a bit uninspired lately in the photography department and it was exactly what I needed to feel excited again.

Kennedy was happy to be my "model" for a few of the assignments and she is so darn cute, I had to share some of the photos I took of her.

These photos were taken for my assignment on back-lighting.

And these were taken for my assignment on "shooting in undesirable weather conditions."

God I love this kid. She has an undeniable spirit. Can't wait to see where life takes her.

Our 2012 Christmas Card

Click to Enlarge

SnowShoe Farms 2012

Our tradition of going out the weekend after Thanksgiving to cut our Christmas tree continued again this year! It was a chilly, foggy morning but we bundled up the girls and drove out to our favorite Christmas tree farm. We were freezing by the end of it but we had a great time choosing the perfect tree (or not so perfect tree if you ask Sean!) :)

I am well aware of the fact that someday my girls will be standing near the 5 foot mark.
So thankful for their young ages this Christmas... it really is such a special, special time.

Thanksgiving 2012

We had a really nice Thanksgiving this year.
We hosted at our house for a few members of each of our families.
It was a nice, relaxing day! I have discovered that serving a late Thanksgiving dinner (4:30 pm) makes the day a lot less stressful.

I thought about my grandma so many times on Thanksgiving.
She cooked Thanksgiving dinner each year for at least 20-30 people in her small kitchen with her one oven and had dinner on the table by 1 pm. Amazing lady!!

School Photos

Every Wednesday, the girls do a program called "Mom's Day Out" at one of the local churches.
I'm not gonna lie... I LOVE this program.
I get THREE entire hours to MYSELF while they are there! It's pretty freaking amazing.

I generally use the time to work on photography editing but I also use it if I need to schedule a dentist appointment, grocery shop, etc.

It is a win-win for me and the girls as Kennedy gets one extra day of a "preschool environment" and Mara enjoys playing with other little tots.

These are their "school photos," taken at Mom's Day Out - I love these pictures! Yes, I am a professional photographer who loves a candid, natural, outdoor shot but c'mon... there is definitely something to be said for the school photo. So fun. So cute.

And yes... they ARE sisters... despite the fact that they look quite different :)

My Thankfuls ... 2012

I always know it is November when I start to see the daily "thankfuls" circulate around Facebook and blogs. I can never keep up on submitting my own daily Facebook posts but here is a quick and dirty list of my Thankfuls for 2012. :)

1. My husband
Eleven years together and I am happy to report we are still going strong.
Life is busy, the kids are busy, we are busy and yet, he is still my favorite person.
We make a good team, he and I.

2. My Girls
The love and pride I feel for my two little ladies is so much more than I could ever accurately portray in words. If you are a mom... or a dad... you get it. Putting it simply... I am just oh so very thankful for them.

3. My Family
My mom, my sis, my cousins, my aunts... all of my extended family.
We are a big group, scattered all over the place and yet when we see each other it feels so comfortable and right. I am lucky to have so many stars in my sky.

5. Health
After being diagnosed with a treatable and yet serious thyroid condition this year, I am feeling extremely grateful for my very healthy body. I have several dear friends who are facing health crisis's within their own families... I do not take a healthy body for granted.

6. Girlfriends
I have some pretty phenomenal women in my life, I must say.
I am so lucky to have a whole handful of fantastic women to call upon if I need advice on marriage, parenting, and life. I can also call on them if I just simply need a glass of wine or a good laugh. They are all honest, amazing, and true. In addition, they are amazing mothers and I am just so proud to call them my friends.

7. Starbucks
I love a good latte. That's all.

8. Books
While I still consider myself to be an avid reader, I do not have the time to devour book after book after book like I used to. Having said that, I almost always have a book on my nightstand and whether I get through one page or twenty before bed... I love to read.

9. A Little Business called Junebug Photography
My little business is BUSY.
I am proud of it. I am proud to call it mine.
And I even have a little money in the bank to show for it!:)
Here's to 2013.

10. Quiet Time
Kennedy has mostly given up daily naps but I have gotten her on a fairly consistent habit of having "quiet time" each afternoon while Mara naps.  It only lasts about an hour... but oh mylanta... I love that hour.

These are my big (and not so big!) Thankfuls for 2012... I could add a whole lot more but you get the gist.
It is a blessed life I live, indeed.