Monday, April 30, 2012

The Month of Goals

It’s May. Say whaaaattt?! I love the May weather and I must say I am a bit jealous of those who live in Southern California because I am pretty sure you get May weather all year around (minus the spring showers). Around here, the weather is warm enough to sport some drawstring linen pants, a tank, and flip flops during the day, but a trip to the beach after sunset might call for a sweatshirt so warm and cozy that, the second you put it on,  it makes you want to snuggle up with the ones you love.  I can almost smell the sun block mixed with salty ocean waters coming up from the shore and politely greeting the scent of yummy salt and vinegar covered fries drifting up the boardwalk as I write this. I know I have said this before, but it bears repeating…my heart is at the beach. I am so lucky to live within 45 minutes of the beach, but I wouldn’t complain if I somehow ended up living ON the beach. Maybe, just maybe, buying a beach home will make it to a future goal list. What say you Stephen Hart?

Speaking of goals…Man, I rock at these transition sentences. This May is going to be jammed packed with them. I imagine there will be a lot of trips to the market for some fresh produce and homemade ice cream. I hope to attend some barbeque gatherings complete with grilled corn on the cob and crabs piled high on picnic tables. Some beach trips will inevitably be speckled in between the comings and goings, but May is going to be packed full of business fun. I took a look at my 101 in 1001 goals list over the weekend and well…let’s just say, it’s ugly. I have only crossed six things off!!! Does the excessive use of exclamation marks express my horrified surprise? That is just not good enough for me right now. So here’s the deal. I am proclaiming May to be Goal Month. Boo-yah! Just like that :)

1.       Buy a Mark III camera for my business

2.       Stop comparing myself to other photographers. I am exactly where God wants me to be.

3.       Practice weekly on photography tips and maybe blog about them

4.       Be interviewed and featured on another photographer’s blog

5.       Create Fun bridal packets

I also would like to add two goals that didn’t make the 101 in 1001 list. I am hoping you can help me out.

-I have my 2nd year anniversary for the business in July. It would be pretty darn amazing to make 1000 “likes” on my Facebook fan page by then. If I do, I am going to have a giveaway with a pretty cool gift certificate that I know you all will love.  It would be AWESOME if you could help me out and suggest my fan page to some of your friends!

-I love my blog, but it takes up a good amount of time throughout the week which is why I would love to be able to accept a few sponsors to help me out. I’m hoping to have one or two sponsors by the end of the month.

What five goals do you have for May?



    


Monday, April 23, 2012

Waves of Peace - Love Multiplied

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There is an art to a good cuddle. I realized that this morning when Addisyn and I were still in our jammies and not wanting to budge from the couch on a very cold and dreary Monday. The best cuddles, I think, involve a blanket long enough to stretch from the tips of our toes up to our necks, all snacking and channel changing comforts at an arm’s reach, a cozy spot for two on the couch, and a sleepy footie pajama’d toddler snuggled in my arms. In fact, this cuddle was so good that I had the smallest inkling to forgo Addisyn’s pre-wee school drop-off and just cuddle the day away. On a day like today I’m sure any possible feelings of guilt would have been washed away by the waves of peace I’d have while holding my little girl.  In true procrastinator form, I waited until the minute after the very last minute and then lazily marched us up the stairs to get ready for the day.  She only has six more weeks of school and won’t be returning in the fall, so I wanted her to get everything out of these last few weeks. After dropping Addisyn off at school, I caught myself daydreaming about completing the rest of my daily activities from under a warm, gently used blanket in the worn corner of our couch. And, I may or may not have changed back into my PJ’s after picking Addisyn up.  Today was a perfect balance for me. Just like the crops enjoy soaking in the recent rain, my soul enjoys soaking in the relaxation that this dreary day had given me. 

My baby girl is growing up so fast. She walks around the house doing various tasks like rocking her baby to sleep, reading her baby a book, or packing her “pack bag” with some diapers and wipes while  insisting that she does it her “own self” when I ask her if she needs any help.  She talks to me. We have whole conversations about things that are so important in her world. I love hearing her comments about the noises she hears, the songs she wants to sing, and all the important people in her life. In her growing up she wholly fills my heart in so many ways.

I am taking in all these very little moments feeling blessed that I have so many of them with her, but knowing they have been at a sacrifice to Steve. My husband is such a blessing. I try my best to ensure he knows how much I love him and that Addisyn knows what an amazing father he is. And…she knows he’s pretty special. She squeals and smiles when he gets home from work and always greets him with her little arms thrown tightly around his shoulders.

Her night time routine has become one of my favorite parts of the day. We tuck her into bed and she politely requests, "sing song?" as she looks up at us with those beautiful blue eyes. We sing to her and then kneel down by her crib and pray. She squeezes both our hands during her nightly prayers to show us how much she loves us. In the innocence of her eyes, she sees her mom and dad praying over her. It’s her family. She feels protected, loved and knows exactly where she belongs. She has no daily worries on her mind or any tasks for tomorrow to stress about. It’s only us. I once thought that when Addisyn arrived my love would be divided, but instead it was multiplied. What a great gift it is to be able to grow our hearts to accept more love rather than reach our limits and love no more.  Enjoying these waves of peace...
We took advantage of the nice weather this weekend and hit the road for a short impromptu beach trip! 2012-04-23_001 2012-04-23_002 2012-04-23_003 2012-04-23_004 2012-04-23_005 2012-04-23_006 2012-04-23_007 *this is her "I am not sure about this sand" face 2012-04-23_008 2012-04-23_009 2012-04-23_011 2012-04-23_012 2012-04-23_014 Okay, and maybe just one more irresistable video :-)

Monday, April 16, 2012

Manic Monday

I was reading one of my favorite blogs tonight and I saw this.  

Today was a manic Monday.  I was moving every which way and felt like I didn’t have a moment to spare.  It was on the way home from a vet visit when I completely gave up on being productive. I was trying to get a two year old in the car while gripping the leash that holds an injured 60lb pitbull/lab mix puppy and neither of them was cooperating. The day was almost over and I was bombarded with an oozing dog wound, a pile of dirty laundry that had not been touched, and no dinner plans...I was spent.
Some moms have it all together. They are organized, put together, and could breeze through my day with gazelle like intensity.  They’re probably equipped with all sorts of entertaining toys for their child to play with during a vet visit that do not involve dumping out mommy’s purse and sifting through all her personal items. Their family dinner  is already planned with no opting for ice cream in place of a colorful plate of chicken and fresh steamed veggies. And, by no means would they question whether or not their child needs a bath after a 90 degree day.
I’m not that mom. Today was so exhausting that my original blog post, which was beginning to look more like a dissertation on marriage, is getting put on the back burner.  Ice cream in place of dinner was looking perfectly acceptable in my book around 6:00pm. 
Oh, but the guilt!! The mommy guilt set in after turning on the second episode of Doc McStuffins just so I could eat my dinner in peace. What kind of mommy have I been to her today? I’d been toting her around,  getting frustrated, and having little to no patience. Somehow, I managed to muster enough energy to not skip any part of Addisyn’s “night night” routine. As we were changing her into her pajamas we started to sing “Open, Shut them” and as we got to the part of the song that says, “Open wide your little mouth, but do not let them in”, Addisyn squealed, belly laughed, and fell into me saying, “Momma so silly!”.  *Sigh* She loves me. She might not be jumping over lava, but she sang a song and read a book with her highly unorganized mom and well, she couldn’t be happier. 
Our first course meal tonight!
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Teaching her table manners went out the window with the rest of my day.
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Okay, so after the ice cream, I had to redeem myself. And she ate it!!!
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The reason my day was so exhausting! Poor puppy :-(
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Awful right?
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And on to more exciting activity! Our weekend was much more eventful this weekend.
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Now this smile knows how to melt my heart.
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"Cool Dude!"
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Okay, cutest pic ever right?
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Play time with her neighborhood BFF!
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Gah! Those pretty eyelashes!
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And I will leave you with a collage of pics of Addisyn just because I think she is cute no matter what she does. Have a great week!

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Congrats to Katie Shannon for winning the couple contest photo shoot! I'm so excited to take pics of you and your hubby :-)

Monday, April 2, 2012

Random Thoughts and A Giveaway

Let’s talk about how my brain isn’t functioning today. This morning I put the milk in the pantry and didn’t catch it until I was trying to smash the box of Honey Nut Cheerios into the small space in our fridge that is perfectly sized for our milk container. Addisyn was due to be at school at 9:15am and I realized we were both still cozy in our pajamas at 8:50am.  In the chaotic scene of us trying to change and get out the door, I went back up the stairs three times: first for my car keys, second for my phone, and third for my car keys that I put down when trying to find my phone.   Oiy Vey! By the way, I don’t even know what this means or if it’s spelled right, but I say it all the time to put emphasis on any exhaustive situation that enters my life and “Oiy Vey!” is how I see it in my mind. Feel free to correct me, but I am going to keep using it. For sanity sake, and for the sake of not embarrassing myself on this post (after all, I called a goose a duck last week, and was corrected on the spot), this is going to be a short post of random thoughts with a giveaway at the end. If you are in love, you will want to keep reading. Trust me. 

Random thoughts…
Steve and I feel called to be in Delaware right now, but if the good Lord calls us to be in southern Florida or say Bora Bora, I would be down. This cold weather is for the birds. Actually, it’s not for the birds. They are smart enough to fly south for the winter. All I am saying is those tank wearin’, flip-flop sportin’, beach visitin’ days are hollering at me something serious.

***
Kids repeat what you say and do. They want to be like their momma and daddy. Try this on for size. Addisyn now tells us, “No man!” whenever she wants us to stop helping her or when we are doing something she doesn’t want us to do. Not because I say, “No man!”, but because I say, “No ma’am!” whenever she is doing something she isn’t supposed to be doing. She even puts her pointer finger up, shakes it at me, and wrinkles her brow as if she is disappointed! She also feels the need to wake up each morning and put on her “hay-cup” (make-up) just like momma and even helps her dolls get ready for the day.  When she puts her dolls to sleep she sings to them, kneels down and prays with them, and kisses her sweet darlings on the forehead before turning off the light.  I am going to out on a giant limb and say half the battle to having a well behaved child is living a lifestyle that you are proud to share with your children and that you would want them to emulate.
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***

Toddlers have a lot of questions.  Addisyn asks me every other minute “S’dat momma?” She is curious to learn about these things in the world that seem so much bigger to her right now.  Things I don’t even pay attention to or think about during a given day. And I love it. I love answering her questions even when I am exhausted and I crave silence.  She usually follows it up with an, “Ohhhh momma!”  and my heart soars knowing she made a new discovery and logged it to her memory. Our trips to school and church are usually filled with her pointing out all her new words. “Look Momma choo choo!” or “Momma, tuck tuck!” or “Momma, church”. And my response each time? “Good job, baby! You are so smart. I am so proud of you.” Our babies need encouragement and praise.

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***
Steve is a great dad. I realize this numerous times throughout my week, but some days it hits me harder than others. Like yesterday for example, I ran out to the store to get an item for our dinner and when I got home Addisyn had a stool up against the counter and was helping her dad cut (she was just watching at a safe distance for this part), separate, and taste test the vegetables that were a part of our dinner. Steve was telling Addisyn that she was such a big helper (there are those words of encouragement again) and Addisyn nodded in agreement while beaming a smile that was only meant for her daddy. She was proud to be helping her daddy and Steve made sure that she knew it was a moment that was special to him too.

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Steve’s also a great husband. Soon after the dinner preparations were finished, we shared a romantic kiss simply because he found it cute that I got all excited about a coupon that was going to be put to good use. I like being told when he thinks I am cute and when we hang out in the kitchen cooking dinner together. No matter the reason, I couldn’t help but melt into his sweet kiss just because…just because he is my man.

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In honor of my sweet sweet man, I would like to do a giveaway. Whoop Whoop!  I would like to give away a one hour session for one lucky couple. This could be with your husband/wife or your fiancĂ©.  The session includes one hour, two different locations, 30 finalized photos, and high res files.  You must live in Delaware, Maryland, or Virginia to win or willing to travel to one of these three states. Here is how to enter:

1. “Like” my Facebook page by clicking on the Facebook “like” button in the side bar at the upper, right-hand corner of this post or by clicking on the link here. If you are already a fan of my Facebook page, THANK YOU so much for your support!  You can proceed to Step 2 OR become a follower of this blog by clicking on the “Join this site” button on the right.

2. Share this blog post on your Facebook page and say, “Stacy Hart Photography is giving away a couple session! If you are married or engaged, click on the link below to enter for a chance to win.  **You can either hit the facebook share icon on the bottom of this post or click on the title on the top of this post and then copy and paste the url into your facebook post.  

3. After you have done both these steps, come back and comment on the bottom of this post in either the Facebook comments section or on the “Let’s Chat! Leave a comment here” link.  Lead your comment with “I liked, I shared, and I want to win!” and then include one thing you love about your husband/wife or fiancĂ©.   At that point, your name will be added to a mason jar of names that will be drawn from and announced on my April 16th post.

To take a look at my portfolio, please visit my photography website at www.stacyhartphotography.com

I am so excited!
Have an awesome day!  

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