Take That Picture!

Do you take your own pictures of your kids? Family pictures? A few years ago I bought a really nice and expensive camera because I wanted to take professional pictures of my kids. We were in college and getting pictures taken was not an expense I wanted to have, but I still wanted to have some great pictures of my kids. And, as you would have it, pictures are still out of my price range and so taking my own pictures still makes the most sense.

School pictures were this week and to be completely honest, I never buy the pictures for a few reasons.

1- I find them pricey and we are a one income family.
2- I only really want the 8x10 picture but it is only offered as a bonus package.
3- The kids are wearing their uniforms.
4- I prefer pictures taken outside with scenery and cute clothes that portray my children's personalities.
5- I own a very nice camera and take my own pictures.

Now all this being said, I am not dissing school pictures-- I think school pictures are great-- I do purchase the class pictures and yearbooks for my kids. In a perfect world, I would probably have one of those picture frames with a large slot in the middle for the current picture, and then the 12 slots all around with pictures taken from Kindergarten all the way up to 12th grade. I love those! I really do! But it's just not how I roll. Instead, I have thousands of pictures of my family and kids on sd cards, on my camera and my phone, and many more saved on our external hard drives. There are so many in fact, that sometimes when my husband and go through them, we have forgotten that we had even taken the pictures in the first place. I do miss the day and age when we didn't have the option of saving our pictures and had to have them printed to be placed in photo albums and/or scrap books. We took less pictures then, but in a way that made them that more special.

One of the things that I struggle with about taking my own pictures is that I am constantly putting off going to get them printed. It's one of those lies I tell myself, "I'll do that tomorrow," or "..."next week," and "...next month for sure!" For some reason, making it down to my local Walgreens, with my sd card in hand (because I actually do go to Walgreens often, but forget to bring my sd card) just doesn't happen. Maybe it has something to do with 'mom brain' or the fact that in my head I have a checklist in the order of things I need to do, and getting the pictures printed always seems to be at the very tail end. Now, you're probably thinking-- this alone is a good reason to pay for school pictures. That is definitely a good argument, but for me the offset savings is still a big perk. I just really need to do a better job and actually get the pictures printed.

Most of the pictures I take are completely on the spot, not planned and because we are doing something great and fun and I just need to capture this moment. However, I actually do take my kids out for photo shoots and take them to scenic places to take their pictures. It's a half a day affair and I'm not sure that the kids completely love it, but I string them along anyways with promises of a prize of some sort at the very end. And the pictures at the end are darling!! It captures who they are, with genuine smiles and completely in their element. Also, it fills my heart to look back on those pictures after some time has passed, not only to reflect how young my children look, but to remember the memory of that day and how we came to have those pictures. Even though it may not be the best way to spend a Saturday morning according to my kids, I do hope that someday they will look back and appreciate yet one of the things we did together as a family and the memories that follow.

Today, Facebook is huge when it comes to sharing pictures! And so is Instagram, Snapchat, etc. But I really ever just use Facebook and don't have Instagram, so I can only really talk about Facebook. So, back to Facebook... that is where the majority of the pictures that I take on my phone end up. We have family all over the country and even the world and so sharing on Facebook is the easiest way to stay connected and share a glimpse of what we are doing in our lives. When I notice that I have a lot of pictures on my phone, I will start to load them onto Facebook and then delete them off of my phone. I guess I am using Facebook as a storage for my pictures; it's fast, easy and limitless when it comes to space. The downside to using Facebook however, is making sure that not just anyone can view your pictures. I have my setting so that only my Friends can see the pictures and no one else. I also make sure that 'location,' is turned off on my phone so that when I post the pictures, our location can't be tracked. It was something I read in an article a few years ago that I found helpful.

Hopefully after this post, I will take my children out for another photo shoot. I am taking pictures for my son's soccer team since my husband is coaching his team and they will be for FREE. ;) So I might as well take my kids out for a photo shoot too. For now, enjoy this picture I took a few years ago from a previous phot shoot and a few I took this summer while we were at the lake! And tune in for some current pictures coming soon.

A Purposeful Blog

Why do I feel the need to blog?

Well, the other day my husband and I ventured into the Mother-in-Law suite (where we are currently housing our storage and holiday decorations) in search of his old school Nintendo. Our children, L age 10, and K age 8 have recently gotten into Mario Brothers 3 and so my husband thought they might enjoy his old Nintendo with other Mario games along with other old school games. Anyhow, to make long story short, I came across a large storage container full of... wait for it..... journals! Back in the day, when I was a youth I wrote in my journal daily! Now, most of it is probably super embarrassing and not really worth a read unless you want a good laugh, but regardless, it was a record of my daily life and all that I deemed important. Fast forward a good 17 years later, I have a 10 year old and an 8 year old, married for 10+ years and I have no record of any sort!? I came to the conclusion that it wasn't enough that I have attempted to blog a handful of times in the last 10 years-- I actually need to blog. Let's face it, Facebook alone won't really leave my children and family a good representation of who I am and the things that matter to me. And, in this technology world, I have come to appreciate using a computer and keyboard and prefer it over a hand held journal and my messy penmanship. I mean spell check for crying out loud!!! That alone is a miracle. So, in a nutshell, I hope to- no plan to blog more often about family, faith, holidays, cats even, recipes, favorite books and authors, home, kids, mom advice-- etc. Everything under the umbrella of who I am and what is important to me. Follow me along on this adventure and I promise it won't be dull! Next month is November and that alone will give you and I reasons to salivate over recipes and then take a nap after we enjoy some turkey! But, that's next month still. Now, just a little info about me and my family!

Job Title:

Wife, mother of two- a girl and a boy, cat mom, substitute teacher at two elementary schools.

Hobbies:

Cooking, reading, baking, crafting, napping (hope that's a hobby), traveling and decorating

About Me:

I love Fall and cool weather. My favorite month is October-- I have seriously been in heaven this month! I also love Christmas and Easter holidays. My favorite food varies-- it really depends on my mood. I love to teach and subbing at schools is perfect for me. I love the ability to travel around and be able to be in different grade levels and I love the schools that I go to and getting to know the kids! I love being a mom. It is a job that I take very seriously and my children come first no matter what. My family and I moved to Louisiana four years ago, but we are originally from Utah/Idaho. We have come to love living in the south but still struggle with the heat and humidity at times-- but so do all the locals! My husband is a high school Math teacher, football coach and track coach. He's a great guy and I'm a very lucky girl and my kids are blessed to have him for a father. Hope to see you visiting my blog! It's going to be fun! Or at the very least interesting. ;)

Mum,Mom, Mommy, Momma

Something happens when you become a mother. Veteran moms tell you that you will never be the same again; your life will now revolve around your children and sometimes you even get lost in the mix of motherhood in the early years. But until you actually hold that baby in your arms, I don’t think that we as moms fully grasp the full meaning of motherhood. And from that moment on we will continually add, adjust and even manipulate our role as a mother so that it makes sense to us and works for our new family. I’d like to go down memory lane for a bit and tell you of an experience I had about 6 months before my first child—my little Miss was born. I was standing in front of the mirror, trying on my favorite skirt and shirt and having a complete meltdown! I couldn’t fit in it. The zipper wasn’t zipping up! And I felt ugly and fat! Was I really ugly and fat? Of course not! I was pregnant, with hormones and at that moment I was more concerned about how I looked—because prior to being pregnant that was where my focus was. I couldn’t see past the weight gain, let alone credit it to my growing womb and the beautiful baby girl that was going to be in my life in about six months. Now, my dear husband reassured me that I was beautiful and that I was the most beautiful woman to him because I was carrying his child. That got me through the night and many more changes that happened to my body throughout the next few months of pregnancy. Looking back now, that was probably the simplest change and smallest adjustment that I had to make—realizing that my body was not going to be the same again. Where once was slim, was now out and protruding. Having energy was a thing of the past. And me time was something that I would forget about for a few years. Now, if you’re not a mom yet, you’re probably thinking, ‘Oh boy! Maybe motherhood is not for me!’ Perhaps not yet, but when you hold your little one for the first time, you’ll be hooked! The only love at first sight I really believe in is love at first sight when you lay eyes on your baby for the first time. When I held my little Miss, my heart felt like it would burst. She was the most beautiful child I had ever held. She was p.e.r.f.e.c.t. She could do no wrong in my eyes (that would change) and I would love her no matter what (that has not changed) and she gave me a reason to be a better person. I was no longer just a young married woman. I was now a mommy—her mommy. I reveled at the title, ‘Mommy,’ and had it in a sing-song in my head for the next two weeks. I was in awe that I (with my husband’s help) made a perfect child and brought her into this world. It was nothing short of a miracle. As we drove away from the hospital a few days later, my husband joked, “Now we just need a son!” Nineteen months later I became a mother once again. And once again it was love at first sight, and I was again in awe at the sweet little boy I held in my arms and that I was his mom. He along with his slightly older sister needed me—not just to meet their everyday needs, but they also needed my love, attention and support. I was no longer the same person I had been nineteen months earlier. I was a better version of myself, self-taught in my new role of being a mom, and better yet I now had a much fuller life and felt that I was who I had always wanted to be. Was it always sunshine and rainbows? Of course not. In fact some of those times involved bodily fluids, slobbery kisses and tantrums galore. But I wouldn’t change any of it for the world. Fast forward almost nine years later…. Nine years later… My little miss is just a few years from being a young lady and my little bug is a rambunctious almost seven year old that lives for pizza, video games and sports. There are different challenges these days and I’m not the same mom I was when they were first born. Their needs have changed and so have I as that change requires. It’s been kind of a trial and error phase. Children at this age definitely like to test the boundaries… correction love to test the boundaries. Sometimes I find myself at a lost at what to do, and other times I know just what to do. What may work for a few weeks suddenly doesn’t and no matter what I always need to bring my A-Game (Go USU Aggies) when it comes to being their mom. It’s not a clock-in/clock-out job. It’s a 24/7 job and even in my sleep, I tend to keep an eye open and my ears alert because they sometimes call out to me at night, and more often than not also crawl into my bed. I savor the fact that they are still generally little and still need me as little people. But I see glimpses of who they will be someday and I feel so proud. They have similarities to me and my husband, but they also have their own unique make-up as people and I feel so lucky that they are my children. I credit my Heavenly Father in His amazing creation of life. I thank Him every day for entrusting my husband and I with these special spirits. What kind of mother am I? That’s really hard to answer because I feel I continually adapt with each new change. But I can tell you that I am their mother and that is who I am. In everything I do these days; in all my responsibilities—I am mom first before I am anything else. My daughter calls me mommy. My son calls me momma. And in my head it all plays out in a sing-song tune. Happy Motherhood!

Hello! And welcome to my blog, 'Laundry In The Basket.' It didn't take me very long to come up with this name. In fact it only took me as long to look up from where I'm sitting and realize I still have an overflowing basket of clothes I need to put away, and two loads of laundry I need to do before tomorrow starts so that my kids have uniform shirts to wear. I'm a mom. A busy mom of an 8 year old girl I will refer to as Missy and a 6 year old boy I will call Bug. I work part time and sometimes full time as a substitute teacher in a few elementary schools in my area. And I also have a Miche purse business that is a home based business. Overall, my life is very blessed and full. But it is also very normal and relatable to many moms and women out there. So I hope that through this blog we can connect, laugh and cry and maybe even feel relief that we're not the only one's out there having that kind of day when our kids are helping us pull out our own hair. So, please allow me to put off laundry for just a little while longer and tell you a story about the other day... A few days ago I was asked to sub in my daughter's class. I have taught in her class before but not yet this year. I've been in my son's class a few times already this year so she was VERY excited that I was going to be in her class. I love her to pieces and she is the sweetest little thing but she had her own idea of how the day was going to play out and already had a list of expectations. As I was choosing an outfit that morning, she asked me, "Mommy, can you pick out something nice to wear today?" At first I was taken back by it, not really offended but I thought, 'Don't I usually wear something nice enough when I teach?' I simply told her, "I will try my best Missy!" and hoped that she was satisfied with that. She takes a lot of pride in me as I do her, so I actually curled my hair, carefully picked out matching earrings, chose matching shoes and wore a new purse, then ran out of time and didn't get any makeup on. But I never wear makeup so I guess that went under her radar, but I was going to try just for her. ;) To start with her class is one of the bigger classes I have subbed for and I had heard this year that they were quite talkative and some of the kids were troublemakers. I wasn't really concerned because it's a great school and the teachers (and subs) do have the Principal's support and the staff there is very helpful. I also do consider myself a seasoned sub and nothing really phases me and kids are just that-- kids. I love being in the classroom with them and getting to know them. And all kids at the elementary school level have so much love to give, even those that seem to like to cause problems-- I've come to know that they have a lot to give back and some just come from really tough situations. There is a quote I have come across that rings true for me, "Kids that are loved at home, come to school to learn. Kid's that aren't loved at home, come to school to be loved." I have so much respect for teachers! I know some really amazing ones and I know that they would do anything for their 'kids.' The student's not just a student to them, they care and love the kids like they would their own. So..... getting back on track to my little one and my day at her class. Everything seemed to be going great! The class was very cooperative. They got a little chatty here and there but I was able to get them to settle down. We were able to get through the work that the teacher left behind and for the most part stay on track. What I didn't expect was to feel smothered.... By my own child. Every time I turned around, there she was with the sweetest smile. And I love it! Don't get me wrong, but while I was trying to teach a lesson or give direction or was in the middle of telling another student not to leave their seat without raising their hand, there was my own little one breaking the rules. More often than not, she's come to me and give a big hug (really sweet) and I'd give her a hug back but then she wouldn't let go. I felt really smothered and almost like a lifeline to her. And maybe I was in a way? At that age group there can be a lot of insecurities and having me there gave her a boost of confidence (she's already quite confident with a great self-esteem) and made her feel extra special. However, that being said I do not give my kids extra attention or special privileges when I sub at their class. I didn't do that when they were younger and I babysat other kids in my home either. So there were times that I gave her the Mommy eye's that I knew she recognized and I did get after her when I felt she was going overboard. By the time lunch rolled around another teacher was kind enough to offer to relieve me so I could sit in the lounge and enjoy my lunch. And I took the offer! It was nice to sit and get my bearings together for the rest of the day and to just be able to think of what I still needed to do in a more quiet setting-- even though there were other people in the lounge, I could still better hear myself think. So what did I take from that day? Well, I was for sure more exhausted than usual. I learned that one child (my child) had the ability to exhaust me more than 22 other students. And I learned just how precious that experience was! I would be there again in a heartbeat just for her!!! She's only 8 once, and it won't be long before she won't want me in her class anymore. I felt loved by her and was glad that she felt proud of me. I also got a glimpse of the kind of hard working student she is and how on task she stays while working on a assignment. Next time, and I do hope there is a next time, I will for sure go over a few things with her before I come back to her class. As much as I gave her a boost of confidence, she gave me a boost of confidence too! She was proud of me, wanted to show me off and let the world know that I am her mommy and how lucky she is! That pretty much made all the pregnancy weight that I still carry, the fact that I rarely have time for makeup, and that I am starting to sport wrinkles and grow a gray hair here and there not matter in at all. Well, it's dinner time now. I have probably about an hour before my crew starts wailing that they are starving. Before they start grabbing at boxed cookies I better start cooking! Laundry can wait until tomorrow! Except for the shirts! They absolutely need to get started tonight and put in the dryer! Again, welcome to my blog! Here you will find my daily going on's as well as favorite recipes, family day trip adventures, posts on my favorite finds and also some deals linked with my Miche business. If you are curious about Miche and haven't heard about it, here is my link: mviator.miche.com