New PJ's!!

What is better than new pajamas?!?

Well, NOTHING!!

They make everyone happy:)

So happy, you just gotta clap your hands......

Grin from ear to ear......

Run around the house......

And hide in the closet???

Of course!!

*P.S. Overlook the messy closet. After all, I would rather play with this little booger than clean out closets...... do you blame me?!?

All these Ellis boys!

Yesterday we hung out at my in-laws house for a while to visit with my sis-in-law and her kiddos. She has 3, but the newest baby boy is quite the little miracle. 

She and my bro-in-law were told quite early in their marriage that children wouldn't be possible. Being the people that they are, they turned that into a positive by adopting my nephew Jacob, and niece, Amberlee (yes, it is quite confusing at family gatherings having an Amber and Amberlee). Anyway, after they thought they were just going to be a happy family of 4, guess who comes along.......

This little guy!

Mason Isaiah

Mason and Amberlee

I'm so glad Wyatt will have lots of cousins to grow up with!

* We are hoping after October, my bro and his new bride will have a few :)

A Horse of Course

When I was a little girl, I toted around a pink blankie EVERYWHERE. Oh, who am I kidding, anyone that knows me knows I STILL have that thing. No, I don't sleep with it anymore, but it is still a precious part of my childhood. I don't even know where I got it, but my mom swears it used to be pink with a satin trim around it. Well, you would never know that now, considering it is more of a faint beige color with ragged edges. It was truly my "comfort" blanket.

Well, when I was pregnant with Wyatt, one of my sweet clients bought him a horse blankie. Little did I know, that would become his best friend. He does nothing without it! I was so worried that I would lose it, I even bought 3 more. I had planned on putting those away for emergencies, but he found them in his closet. So guess what?! He loves them all!

So much, in fact, this is what he does while one is in the wash....... 

waits patiently for it to get its "bath"! He is so sweet!

At last they are reunited!

And there isn't a happier boy around!

Every little cowboy needs a horse of course :)

Our new baby girls!

Guess who came to our house this weekend?!?

Two of the most beautiful baby girls you have ever seen in your life!

We are so glad they came into our family. We wanted Wyatt to have a puppy to grow up with, and then we decided 2 would be better!! No really, we didn't want them to be lonely, so we took two litter mates. They are perfect. 

We love them so much already!

Miss Gypsy (Isn't she beautiful?!)

Miss Harper (She's just so sweet!)

Wyatt loves his new girls too! He already likes to play in their food :) BTW, they do have bowls, but we had just brought them home, so a lid would work just fine for the time being!

As you can tell, they are going to fit in perfectly around here! Girls that like to rough-house...... what could be better?!?

And this little guy is so excited he can hardly stand it!!

Well, that was our excitement this weekend. I'm sure I'll have more to share this week. There is NEVER a dull moment around here!

God give me strength

This week has been quite crazy already.

1. My blood work came back from the doctor, and praise God, I'm not diabetic, pre-diabetic, and definitely have no signs of thyroid problems. However, it did show that I have high cholesterol. Who has that at 25? Well me, that's who. Anyway, with a modified diet (still WW, just no sweets or artificial sweeters), and lots of cardio he believes I can get it under control. It is so frustrating to have lost 10 lbs, and then find out something like this. I thought I was doing so good!! Oh well, I'm just thankful it is nothing more serious.

2. Monday Wyatt caught the stomach bug :( He was so pitiful for 2 days. He wouldn't eat anything, and had the WORST diapers I have experienced in my 18 months of being a mother. I'm talking 7 BAD diapers before noon yesterday. I decided to take him to the doc yesterday afternoon, and she told me it was just a virus and it would just have to run its course. She gave us a Rx for a diaper rash ointment (that comes along with all the bad diapers evidentally), and told me to pick up some Culturelle. I had never even heard of that, but let me tell you, it is amazing stuff! After two doses, he was back to his happy little self today. I think we might be over it (fingers crossed).

3. For the past few months, I've been preparing for my first art show. It is a local show on the square in our town. I've put so much time, effort, and money on this. I was so excited. Well, today, I get a notice in the mail saying I wouldn't be able to participate due to too many entries. To say I was mad was an understatement. I turned in my application MONTHS ago, and I have spent an absurd amount of money on prints, custom frames, etc. What for??? To be REJECTED!! Everyone I've talked to has never heard of such. I mean, isn't the purpose of events like these to expand and become bigger over time? I'm trying not to be bitter, but they have accepted out of state vendors and are turning down locals. It is so frustrating. So, here I am, with all these portraits and nothing to do with them. To top it all off, they wrote, " We encourage you to be a part of our event next year." I doubt it.

So, there you have it. It's Wendesday and the week hasn't been great so far. It's got to get better. What doesn't kill us makes us stronger. Right?

Wedding Bells

Saturday I had the pleasure of spending the day with one of my favorite families in the entire world. My friend from high school, Amy, had the most beautiful wedding in Tennessee and asked me to be a part of it by doing the girls hair. It was so much fun, and it was so good to see friends that I don't get to see very often. Her sister, Rachael, and I were glued at the hip my last 2 years of school. They were so sweet to me when I moved to MCHS my sophmore year. 

Rachael is getting married in September, so I get to see them all again soon! I'm so excited :)

The gorgeous bride, and her mom.

The venue, a beautiful farm in Fayetteville, Tennessee

The guitarist. He was great.

Her handsome hubby. 

Lisa and her escort

Lindsey and her escort

Miss Apryl (go check out her blog to see Amy's dad busting a move....it is HILARIOUS!)

My sweet Rachael and Wade's dad. Bless her heart, she was already crying!

Giving the bride away

One of their friends read a beautiful scripture. It was so sweet.

Last but not least, me and Apryl. She's my fellow photographer buddy!

I love it when you see two people who are such a great match. Few weddings really get to me, but it was so beautiful. I can tell they are going to have a long and happy life together!

Best wishes sweet Amy!

What a fun day!

This morning started out not so fun. I had to go get blood work done. But after that, it was great! The hubby, Wyatt, and myself went to Cracker Barrel and had brunch afterward (since I couldn't eat anything beforehand). That is one of my favorite places! I'm telling you, I could live off of grits and biscuits...... which could all change soon, so I better eat them while I can! Our next stop was the drugstore to buy a BP cuff so I could test myself at home. Which, I'm happy to report, was back to normal today! What a great start to the day :) 

This afternoon I went downtown to do a Senior session for one of the sweetest girls on the planet! She is just a doll. I have known her family for a while now. They were hair clients of mine. Actually, her mother was one of my first clients, and she has stayed with me for all this time! They are a great family, and I'm glad they wanted me to do Alexis' pictures for her. She is beautiful. You can check out her sneak peaks at: www.amberellisphotography.blogspot.com

Well, off to bed now. I've got more pictures to take tomorrow. Must have plenty of rest so I can be on top of my game :)

Prayers

I'm going to need lots the next few weeks.

I went to the doctor today to have my thyroid checked (routine, family history thing) and the doc

is a little concerned because my blood pressure was pretty high. I believe it was 150/90.

He says for a person my age that is pretty concerning. Even when pregnant with Wyatt, I had perfect BP. So, he's ordered a couple of blood tests to figure out the problem.

His main concern is that I could be diabetic. This scares the mess out of me. I also have a history of that in my family, but no one as young as myself.

Please keep me in your prayers. I've never had any health issues, so this has really gotten in my head. I can't imagine not being healthy and able to be the wife and mother I need to be.

I know that there is no reason why I am any better than anyone else that goes through these problems. I am so blessed to have been given all that I have already. It makes me feel a little selfish to even be asking for prayers, but I know that they work. I know God didn't give us a spirit of worry, but of peace love and a sound mind. That is what I'm praying for.

More Babies!

Today I had the busiest day in a while! Between church, a shower, and a birthday party, I nearly ran myself in the ground.

The shower I went to was for one of my best friends in the world. Jenny and I have been friends since high school. We didn't go to school together, but we were both active members of our FFA programs so we met on a trip to Louisville, KY. She was the president of her chapter, and they weren't going so she tagged along with ours. We have been great friends ever since.

I am so happy to be sharing this wonderful time with her as she is awaiting the birth of her first son. She is such a great person, I know she is going to be a good Mama! This girl can do anything and everything, including changing a tire, oil, or driving a tractor better than any man in the southeast! I'm so glad God gave her a boy. I seriously don't think anyone is more deserving of a little guy than she is!

You know, it's funny, I have been saying for the past few months that I wasn't sure when I would be ready for another baby. I still don't know, but while I was there all those feelings from my pregnancy and waiting for Wyatt came rushing back. I miss being pregnant and preparing for a new baby. I miss all the tiny clothes. I miss feeling those kicks and knowing that I was growing the most precious gift from God in my belly. Pregnancy was the most exciting experience of my life. When do you decide to do it again? I must say, as much as I loved pregnancy, I think I enjoy Wyatt at the age he is now much better than a brand new baby. Not that I didn't absolutely fall in love with him the minute he was born. I did. I just think he is so much fun at this age, and the little bit of independence he has really helps. I don't know. When do you decide to pull the trigger and say you're ready for another one?!? I guess I'll know when the time is right.

Here are a few pictures I snapped while at the shower today. 

He is definitely one loved little boy already!

It's only Saturday???

We've had so much fun the past two days, it is hard to believe we still have one more day in the weekend!

Yesterday, our little family headed down to Albertville to pick up a piece of equipment Morgan had ordered. It was a nice trip, and Wyatt did GREAT. He was so good on the way down. We stopped and grabbed b'fast at Bojangles (if you've never had their Chicken biscuits, I really feel sorry for ya), and he was good to go. About 30 minutes before we go there, he passed out on us but he was WIDE awake when we stopped the truck. The nice man Morgan was dealing with didn't have everything ready, so Wyatt played around on his tractors while they finished up. That was heaven to him! You would think, living on a farm, he would get tired of tractors and such. Hardly. He LOVES anything and everything that goes "Vroom"! When we got back home, we hung out for a bit, then got ready to go to Huntsville. We met up with our friends, Jeff and Whit, and then took Wyatt to his Nonni and Papa's house for his usual "Friday Night Date" with them! From there, we headed off to eat at Grill 29 in Providence. This was our first trip there, and it was soooo good! Morgan had the Cajun Shrimp Alfredo and I had their Crab Cakes and Grits. Oh, it was DIVINE! You can't go wrong with grits on ANYTHING! Jeff and Whitney were also pleased with theirs too.

This morning when I got up, Morgan had left to go to his mom and dad's to take care of their grass, and cut up a tree that had fallen. They've been in Hawaii, so he's been keeping an eye on everything there. I'm glad they live so close, so he can help out when he needs to. I was wanting to go do some "junkin'", but it kind of looked like rain, so I held off on the yard sales. I decided I would go get Mama and Wyatt, and we could go do some shopping together! Our first stop was the thrift store. I found two cute Gap shirts, and they CUTEST little dress. I can't wait to get them all washed up and wear them. I'm a true believer that 'One man's trash is another man's treasure'! The best find of the day was Mama's Banana Republic top. Oh, I spotted it a mile away. It has the cutest safari print on it, so I thought she just had to have it (since she is a little bitty size 4, and it would fit her. However, she does know if I ever get that small, I'm reclaiming it!). We paid and got to the car when we realized it was brand new and still had the tags on it!! That was a true find for $4. After we left there, we headed to Zaxby's for lunch. We decided to try their new Chicken Parmesan sandwich. It was wonderful, but I know it was probably a zillion points (which is why I had cereal for supper:). After leaving there, I ran into Toys R Us to look for a prop for a photo session I'm doing Monday. Mama stayed in the car with Wyatt since I was just running in, and when I got out he was passed out! We drove over to Home Depot for Mama and I sat with him while she ran in. From there, we decided it would be best to call it a day. It was still fun even though it wasn't a very long trip! When Wyatt and I got home, we hung out with Morgan outside while he trimmed the flower beds. After playing for a while and feeding Wyatt supper, he was off to bed. It was a long day for my little fella!

Sounds like a pretty full weekend, huh? Well, that's not the half of it! Tomorrow, after church, I'm heading to Tennessee to a friend's baby shower at 2, and then have to come back to Athens for a birthday party for Natalie at 4! I won't be able to stay at the shower long, but I want try to go for a while anyway. I'm so excited about the b'day party. Natalie is my friend's daughter I bought the adorable Matilda Jane dress for. I FINALLY get to give it to her!! I will try to make her model for me and get some pics to share.

Well, off to bed all. Gotta get my beauty rest......... it takes a lot!

Our 4th of July festivities!

Our 4th of July weekend was awesome. There is not many other holidays where you can just be with the ones you love, and celebrate for the right reasons. I get so frustrated with "gift" holidays, and all the pressure it puts on us. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE Christmas, but i just wish it could be more about the reason we celebrate, and less about the gift.

Anyway, this 4th was no different. It was such a relaxing day. I loved being with my parents, Grandaddy, the Hubby, and Little man.

Of course I shared our menu in my earlier post, but

here are a few pictures I took during the course of the day.

This little monkey decided he didn't want to eat what we were having. Instead, he munched on

Cheezy Puffs. That is, until he discovered corn on the cob!

It was such a pleasant day, we decided to have lunch on the patio. The food was GREAT, and the weather made it that much better!

This is Wyatt's Papa (my step-dad). Wyatt thinks he hung the moon!

Here is the main event! Wyatt and his corn. He wasn't satisfied with me holding it for him, so he proceeded to take it away and go to town!

The little things in life that make us so happy!

Oh my, my Mama's pie! It was HEAVENLY. No ya'll, really, it is one of the best things ever made on this earth!

After supper, Wyatt hung out in the yard and played. 

My sweet Grandaddy! Ain't he cute!? He turned 89 in February, and he is still sharp as a tack. I hope I am in half as good of shape at that age! 

Nonni, Wyatt and the popsicle! He loves these things. I think it's un-American to grow up without eating frozen Kool-Aid out of a bag (basically that's all it is)!

He finally mastered the art of jumping on the trampoline! Well, sort of. He gets going, and then falls down and laughs :)

The high school in town puts on a fireworks show every year. I LOVE it! It is so small-town. Everyone comes out to watch. The parking lots, and road-sides are packed with families waiting to see the big show. This year, we waited for 2 hours. Finally, we decided we needed to go home. It was WAY past Wyatt's bedtime, and Nonni, Papa, and Grandaddy had to head back to Huntsville.

Wouldn't you know, as we were leaving, they started! Morgan, Wyatt, and I pulled over at the local park and watched for a while. It was so pretty, and a great end to a great day!